


Odd, Old, Blood

by BenplayerX



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:40:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 29,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27163291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BenplayerX/pseuds/BenplayerX
Summary: To most people, Seacoast seems like a normal small town. That's what Sam thought as well before her best friend (and crush) died in mysterious circumstances. Sam and her friends must unravel the dangerous secrets that lie deep within the earth underneath Seacoast. Secrets protected by blood.
Kudos: 1





	Odd, Old, Blood

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Old, Odd, Blood. This is an original work (I don't even know how you arrived here lol) I wrote three years ago and simply had laying around, which I decided to publish here so that It doesn't just stay buried within my computer forever.   
> It's not very good, it has many grammatical errors and weird expressions and formatting (English is not my first language, and at that point in my life I didn't have a great dominion over it). Besides, it hasn't been properly edited.  
> I hope that even with all that you find something to enjoy in this very rough text.

**Odd Old Blood**

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**_The Diary of Samantha Lily Wright_ **

04/03/19

_So, I’m doing this Diary thing because the therapist told me to. It’s going to be weird because I’ve never done one of these before. In fiction, they always tell what’s going on their day to day life but in my case, that wouldn’t be that interesting, and I’d get bored of doing this very quickly. Instead, I’m gonna write my story with Kathley Tripton. It all started two months ago when the school year was just starting. She was a new student at my high school “Seacoast High School” (yes, they were super original and named it after the town), we were paired to do an assignment together and we immediately connected. That evening she came to my home and we spent the entire time in conversation. She told me she was from New York (now that I think of it, it’s a little weird that she ended up in a small town at the other side of the country), she also told me she really likes music, films and pop culture in general, she actually was kind of a geek because she had a huge comic book collection. I remember listening to all of this with great attention even if I personally was never much into any of this apart from music, for my stories I always preferred reading books. She was just so wonderful I could listen to her talk for hours. Her hair was dyed violet (I think I never asked her what her natural color was and if I did I don’t remember doing it), her eyes were blue, and her mouth and nose were both small and cute. She was a little fat but only a little (It made her look even cuter). In general, her face was broad but in a pretty way and OH MY GOD I JUST REALIZED THAT I HAD A CRUSH ON HER… (Now I’m crying)_

_It’s been five minutes since I wrote that last line. Five minutes I’ve spent crying and trying to listen to this boring history class. So anyway, back to the story because this lesson Is the most tedious thing I’ve had to endure since I don’t even know when._

_It’s been another three minutes already as I don’t know how to start the next part (If this keeps going like this this diary will be the worst one anyone has ever written (I think I shouldn’t be writing any of this, referring to these last two paragraphs (and I want to be a professional writer someday lol)))_

_Now let’s really get back to the story:_

_The next few days were similar, we spent a lot of time together speaking and laughing, and the time I wasn’t with her I was thinking about her. I almost didn’t spend any time with my other friends. Friday came, and she sent me a message telling me to come to the lookout by the lighthouse on the hill, that she would be waiting for me there, I had my doubts as it was a school day but finally I decided to go. (It was my first time doing something like that and later I would get into some trouble because of it but I don’t regret it at all) We met there and spent an amazing day together. We actually got quite drunk (She had taken beers from her house) It wasn’t the first time I drank but up until that point I hadn’t really had much fun with it. We used the binoculars that were there to spy on people, it was a game where the one who found the weirdest thing happening would win. We also scared some people who were walking in the woods and tried to enter the lighthouse without much success. That evening we went to a party that was being held in the old dumpster. We had to sneak in because they wouldn’t let us pass, we danced to the music and drank a lot more and had a hell of a time. I don’t remember much else except that the next morning I woke in her sofa with my mind blank (luckily her parents weren’t home, it would have been a really awkward way to meet them). It wasn’t her parents I had to worry about but my own, well specially my mother who had send close to a hundred messages to my phone. She was super worried about where I had been. I ate breakfast in Kathley’s place and then I returned home. My mother was super hysterical as neither me or my father had come home yesterday. I hugged her and told her I was fine. Thankfully she hadn’t heard that I skipped school, she would have been even more angry and worried. Later that day I presented Kathley to my friends (who were a little pissed off as I hadn’t hanged out with them in the entire week without telling them anything (we used to meet in Leah’s house almost every day as her parents are never home, actually we still do that)) Anyway Kathley got to meet Leah, Joel, Zoe, Abner and last but not least Leah’s dog Goro. They all got along really well and eventually Kathley joined our little group and came to hang out with us really often. And so, the next few months were really great, we all spent a lot of time together and did things like go to parties, watch movies, get drunk, play with Goro (He’s such a good little chubby dog!) …It truly was a wonderful time._

_But It all came to an end all too soon._

_About a month ago, Kathley went missing, she didn’t answer the phone and the days passed and she didn’t appear. Her parents called the police and they started looking for her too. We were all very worried that something bad had happened to her. It was a really weird situation as we live in a small town where there never happens anything of interest, specially nothing like this. The days went on and on, I don’t have very clear memories of what happened, but I know nobody was able to locate her, the police didn’t have any clues as to what might have happened. I personally got really stressed out, so I started smoking and even trying some stronger drugs. My schedule was also a mess as I couldn’t sleep and many of the days and I didn’t go to school half the time, I even arrived at home very late (which was horrible for my mother as she was always super worried about me, she tried to stop me from going out, but she couldn’t do it, I always found a way to get past her). My friends were also having a tough time dealing with it but their connections with her weren’t as deep as my own._

_When two weeks had passed they at last found her, well more accurately they found her body. It was discovered in the beach in a really weird state, it was super pale and skinny, and It had a weird looking cut on the neck. As weird as It may sound when I first heard this news I didn’t feel sad or shocked, all that would come later, no I felt released. I know I know but it just felt good to know where she was and that she hadn’t just abandoned me. (I'm a horrible person for thinking this? I’m definitely a horrible person for thinking this) The following days were sad, gray and depressing without any joy to be found. They held a funeral, but I couldn’t find it on myself to go. The police arrested a suspect named Jacob Jefferson, a junkie who’d been living in the hills for the past months (He is still in detainment and awaiting trial). The days passed, I was deeply affected, and you could notice that in my behavior, so the school made me visit a psychiatrist and she recommended me to write this diary, so I would feel better. I’m not sure it’s working even though this last paragraph was the first time I've thought of Kathley without starting to cry (even if I really want to). So, this is all for…_

_—_ BANG!

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**_—Chapter 01_ **

**_The dreaming gunner_**

— What’s happening?!!? –Samantha asked screaming.

—A gunshot, from the hallway! -Somebody answered, it was hard to tell who with all the chaos in the class. The teacher was trying to calm everyone down without much success. —We have to get out or we’ll all die. —Someone else shouted. Sam was really confused and scared. — _This can’t be happening to us_! —she thought, and before anybody realized what was really going on everyone was rushing to the door. Some of the wilder students were even trying to jump out the windows. Suddenly everyone stepped back when the maniac with a gun entered the classroom, except it wasn’t some crazy maniac or low—class criminal, it was Harvey Tripton, Kathley’s father.

—Everyone shut up! – He said as he fired a couple of bullets upward. Samantha could clearly see that he was high on drugs and was dressed as if he was homeless. It was disturbing as Kathley’s father had always been elegant and educated the few times Samantha had met him. But now his brown hair was gray and disheveled, and his eyes looked redder than they did his natural blue. He even seemed to have grown a foot shorter.

—You there, I want to speak to you. – He voiced pointing his gun to Samantha. —Come closer. Now. — Sam started moving forward in little nervous steps.

—What do you want Mister Tripton? –She asked timidly when she was close enough.

—You were Kathley’s friend, right?

—Yes.

—You two spent a lot of time together, didn’t you? –Harvey asked, pressing the gun on Sam’s cheek.

—Yes, we did. –She answered as a tear came down from her eye.

—Then why did YOU KILL HER!?!

The gun was being pressed to Sam’s cheek so strongly that it was starting to hurt.

—I didn’t kill her, she was my best friend!

—You LIE! You only became friends, so you could get close enough to murder her.

— I didn’t kill her!

—Stop lying and tell me why?!?

—I didn’t ki…

—PAM! —He hit her in the face using the gun.

—If you lie to me again I’ll kill you!

As all of this was happening Sam’s classmates were all pressed against the wall trying to get as far as possible from Harvey and his gun, professor Tometi was the most frightened of them all even if he was the only adult.

Zoe, an Asian girl with straight short black hair partially dyed green, a skinny body and green eyes, and Abner, a bald guy with an egg shaped face and brown eyes always covered by his glasses, were discussing what to do to help their friend.

—We have to do something — Zoe said.

—Yes, but what? – Abner responded

—I don’t know, weren’t you supposed to be the smart one?

—Hmm, I think we should wait for the authorities to come and set this right.

—Our friend might DIE if we don’t do anything!

—So, what do you want to do? Just walk in there and kick him? – Before Abner could even finish his sentence Zoe was already on her way.

— Harvey was it? I was also friends with your daughter and I can assure you Sam didn’t kill her.

— Yeah—h, she—e’s wri—wright—t. — _Why did I follow her? What was I thinking?!?_ – Abner thought.

—It’s right, not wright you idiot — Zoe whispered to Abner.

—Sorry – Abner responded uncomfortably.

—Who are you two supposed to be?

—As I said we were also your daughter’s friends, and Sam couldn’t have killed her, she absolutely adored her.

—I know she killed her! – Harvey roared as he started approaching Abner and Zoe menacingly.

—Ho—ow can can you—uu be so su—sure about it?

—I saw it in a dream.

—Dreams are just dreams, they don’t mean anything. – Zoe said, a little angry now.

—A a dre—dream is only—y a suc—cesi—sion of images, ideas and emoti…

—SHUT UP, BEFORE I KILL YOU ALL! This dream was different, it had meaning beyond random brain chemistry. IT was real, I know that it was! — As soon as he had finished his phrase he got hit from behind by Sam, who he’d given his back to. He fell on the ground and Zoe jumped on his back to keep him down. His grab of the pistol failed, and the weapon came rolling to Abner’s feet.

— Grab the gun Abner. – Zoe told him.

— Oh yes, yes – Abner, who had been completely motionless during the fight (if you could call it that), suddenly seemed to have awakened and quickly grabbed the gun from the floor.

— Excellent work kids, you did really well. Better than me for sure, I’m the only adult here and I was as scared as a baby about to be eaten by a giant monster. Oh God what a failure of a person I am! – This was professor Tometi who had the annoying and/or funny custom of always speaking what he was thinking.

– Now you can give me the gun Abner. Don’t worry, the only one I want to kill with It is myself. Heh a little joke, I won’t really do that. At least not now.

Slowly everyone was regaining composure, and soon enough the police arrived to take Harvey Tripton away. Before he was dragged out he looked at Sam to the eyes with a look of sincerity and said.

— I’m sorry child.

Samantha only responded by looking down.

Zoe and Abner came to talk with her, she was sitting on the ground.

—How are you Sam? – Zoe asked in a worried fashion.

— I’m fine I suppose, at least when the shock is gone I’ll have something to write in the diary. – Sam gave a little nervous laugh.

— You guys were really brave, thank you. – And she smiled.

— It’s Zoe you have to thank, if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t have come.

—Abner, you were great too. – Zoe responded as she and Abner looked at each other.

— Could I speak with Samantha Wright, alone please? – The three of them looked up and saw a female police agent with blonde hair and blue eyes and arms so strong they could lift a truck. She had a really warm smile and look on her face.

—Of course, we will just leave. Come Abner. – Abner and Zoe left Sam and went to where everyone else was.

—Can I sit down? I’m agent Sarah Avesta.

—Yes, agent.

— Call me just Sarah. They call you Sam, right? – Avesta said as she sat on the floor.

—Yes, Sarah.

— Are you still in shock?

—A little bit.

— It’s normal, don’t worry it will go away. And if it doesn’t you can always contact us, so we get you some help.

—Thanks.

—Look if you don’t want to do this now we can postpone it. I only have to ask you some questions about this incident.

—It’s okay, I can do this.

And so, police agent Sarah Avesta and a 16—year—old black girl, with long and curly black hair, an oval face, deep brown eyes, big ears with golden earrings and a small nose and a thin body named Samantha Lily Wright passed almost an entire hour talking about this incident, the death of Kathley, growing up, life and such matters. In the end, they had both warmed up to each other, and thanks to her when Samantha left the classroom she felt really uplifted.

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**_—Chapter 02_ **

**_Aftermath_**

As Samantha entered the front yard her phone vibrated, a message had arrived, it was from Zoe.

—Hey, you spent a lot of time there, so we left for Leah’s. You’ll be coming?

—Yeah, but first I have to talk to my brother.

—Ok, see you then.

Samantha sent a message to her brother and then took out a cigarette from her purse, lit it and took a drag. She sat down to a bank beside a tree and started looking around waiting for Paul, her brother. It was quiet, and she was observing her surroundings, there was nothing special about them just some grass, a few threes and stone paths leading to Seacoast High School which was a big square building made of bricks, everything as usual, but having just experienced a near—dead situation made her appreciate everything a bit more than customarily. Then her thoughts wandered back to what Harvey had said _—You killed her, I know you did, I saw it in a dream! –_ Why was he so sure of that, was it really just a dream and him being too high for his own safety, and for others safety as well, or was there something more to it. That made her think of who truly murdered Kathley, was it really just some random junkie as the police believed. Somehow that seemed hard to swallow, but then again, they lived in a small town, most of the people who lived there were known to Samantha, _— Who of them could be a murderer?_ Maybe it had been an outsider but what reason could anyone who had just arrived have to kill her. Perhaps it was just some crazy serial killer, that would also explain the weird state the body was in when they found it, it could just be his signature way of leaving his victims.

Sam took her phone from the purse and started googling information about serial killers, but she didn’t find anything useful. Then she realized what an idiot she’d been — If it was some famous killer the police would have already discovered that, and they wouldn’t have detained that junkie. Still there was something weird about this whole situation so she decided to talk about it with the others at Leah’s house.

She was about to start smoking another cigarette when her brother arrived, he was a 14—year—old boy who was too short for his age, had a huge mouth with big teeth, really short hair and a colored skin.

— I didn’t know you smoke sister

—I didn’t use to, until a month ago. – After saying that she lit the cigarette and took a long drag.

—I’ll tell mom.

—No, you won’t.

—Why wouldn’t I?

—To not be an asshole.

—Fine, but you’ll owe me a favor. – Sam nodded irritated.

—What took you so long Paul?

—Everyone’s school day ended sooner today, except your it seems.

—I was talking to a police agent. – Paul sighed and then asked.

—How are you sister?

—I’m good, no need to worry about me.

—How long until I can joke about this?

—Forever, anyway I’m going to Leah’s, could you please tell mom that she doesn’t need to worry about me.

—Why don’t you send her a message.

—I do not feel like talking with her, not even by texting. Just tell her.

—Ok, but that’s worth another favor.

—Yes, I’ll be in Leah's place if anything comes up.

—You know mom won’t like that. She’ll be really concerned of you walking alone in the streets with everything that has happened.

—Goodbye Paul. – And without saying anything else Samantha left the school to go to Leah’s.

It was a calm and cloudy afternoon without many people in the streets. As was already customary for her already she was listening to music on her way but seeing that no one was around she started singing and dancing along with the music. She couldn’t claim to be a great dancer or singer, but she sure did have a lot fun doing it. At one moment she was so immersed in her moves that she ended up crashing to a post. From there on, she was a lot more careful with her surroundings. In what seemed as no time she had already done half of the way when she found the 17—year—old, black—haired, muscled, big—nosed, green—eyed, with a bear too big and awesome for his age Joel who was filming her with his phone.

—Hey what are you doing? —Samantha asked, a bit annoyed.

—Your dancing skills are great you know, but you should practice your singing. I think this is going directly to the internet. —Joel answered with a joking tone. —My 300 twitter followers will love it.

—Erase the video right now! —She angrily answered.

—Hey ok, I was just joking, I’m sorry.

—What are you doing here anyway, shouldn’t you be working?

—I got fired so I’m going to Leah’s with you guys, I just happened to see you along the way doing your ridicule dance.

—Oh, come on it wasn’t that bad.

—Actually, it was, the singing was a lot better though. I should have worded my joke differently.

—Have you even heard what went on today at school?

—Yeah, I was told on the phone, I thought of asking you if you were all right, but it occurred to me that maybe you didn’t want to talk about it. Sorry.

—It’s ok, you were kind of right, I don’t want to talk about it. Come let’s go. Do you want music?

—Is it good music?

—Of course, it is.

Joel took one of the headphones and placed it on his ear. Without even noticing it Samantha was singing and dancing again while Joel was laughing and staring at her, sometimes even making some supposedly funny comments. As the time was passing Joel started slowly also to move his body at the music’s rhythm, but it wasn’t dancing, he would never ever dance, he hated it wholeheartedly, or at least so he claimed. At the moment Samantha suspected otherwise.

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**_—Chapter 03_ **

**_Leah and Leah’s_**

Joel knocked at the door while Samantha was putting the music away. Leah’s house was really big and modern, with big windows, enormous rooms, a huge backyard… it even had a swimming pool, you could easily note that her family was rich. Luckily Leah wasn’t an absolute prick as most of the other rich kids in town, she was actually really nice and funny (and clumsy), that was one of the main reasons they were friends with her. Who doesn’t want a rich and nice friend, you have an enjoyable time with her and she can even sometimes buy expensive things or take you to places way out of your league, it’s awesome! One of Sam’s best memories with her was her b—day parties when they were smaller like the awesome and costly theme parks, or a few years ago when she took them to a huge private yacht for a week with servants and all. So, the point is there were a lot of advantages to be friends with Leah.

The door opened, and Leah came forward with her dog Goro on her feet. The chow immediately came forward and jumped to where Joel was, the chow chows aren’t usually an active and playful breed, but Goro had always liked Joel. While he and the dog played a little Samantha stepped forward to talk with Leah.

—Hi —Sam said awkwardly.

— Are you alright Samantha?

—Oh, yes, I’m good. —She had almost forgotten everything that had happened that afternoon in the school. —Really, I am—

—That’s good to hear Samantha, I was worried about you.

—There’s no reason to be.

—Come inside the both of you. Goro come here, you can play more with him later.

They all entered together and started going to the back yard where they used to stay.

Leah herself was 16 years old, like the rest of them except Joel, her eyes were blue like the sea and her hair long and golden, she liked being pretty always having a lot of fancy makeup on, and clothes that would have probably cost Sam’s family all the money they make in a year (luckily for Sam, Leah usually gifts her clothing on Christmas and birthdays, like the black leather jacket she’s wearing right now). Generally, Leah is really concerned about others and tries to always help and share (which is much easier when you have the sweet dollars).

The backyard was almost as big as the house itself full of green thanks to the vegetation like the grass on the floor or the little trees growing at the sides, with a small swimming pool covered up with a cloth, a BBQ, and the place where everyone was right now, the waterproof white sofas with a small table in the center. Zoe was stretched on the couch rolling a cigar and Abner was playing some game on his phone. There was music being played from the speakers which created a lovely ambience.

—Hi guy’s —Joel said with his deep voice.

—What took you so long? —Zoe asked, rising from the couch and sitting herself normally to make place for them.

—Well I was waiting for Sam who came dancing and falling over.

—Hey, I only fell once and besides I thought we had a non—verbal agreement not to talk about it.

—Did we? —Joel said sarcastically while Samantha gave him an angry look.

—Do you want anything to eat or drink? —Leah asked as politely as ever.

—I want a beer —Joel said immediately.

—I don’t know, what do you have?

—There’s bread, so I could make a sandwich. There's also some leftover cake from my little sister’s party and some fruit. For drinking there are beers, water or orange juice.

—I won’t take anything —Abner said without taking his sight out of the game 

—He really is concentrated. —Zoe answered ironically —I’d like a sandwich, but I can do it myself, there is no need for you to trouble yourself Leah.

—No really Zoe, it’s okay I can make it.

—Well if you say so I won’t complain. I really don’t care what’s inside, make it a surprise.

—And you Sam?

—A glass of water, thanks Leah.

Leah headed to the kitchen when she was gone Zoe said.

—She’s always worried too much about us but these last weeks it’s been on a whole other level.

—Could it be because of Kathley? —Abner said, still focusing mainly on the game.

—Maybe, but they weren’t very close as I remember it. —Joel added.

—Aren’t you reading a bit too much into this, she only offered you something to eat. —Sam responded.

—Yeah, maybe you are right, anyway I think I’ll go help her make my sandwich. —And so, Zoe left the backyard.

—Hope they don’t burn the kitchen. —Joel added ironically. Both Sam and Abner laughed.

It wasn’t long until Zoe and Leah returned bringing the food and drinks with them. Zoe throwed a beer to Joel and kept another one for herself.

—Hey, I almost didn’t catch that. —Remarked Joel.

—But you did, that’s what counts. – Was Zoe’s answer

Leah left the sandwich, the water and some cookies on the table.

—I also brought these cookies, I know you love them Sam.

—Thanks, I’ll be having a few of those. —But before Sam could even reach for them Abner had already extended his hand, taken one and placed it in his mouth. Within seconds it was gone, and he was still focusing solely on the game.

—Are we sure he is okay? —Zoe said after uncomfortable silence during which everyone was looking at Abner. The rest laughed, and Sam finally got to take her cookie. It was a delicious chocolate cookie, probably the best cookie in existence, at least for her. She was happy with her cookie. Goro also wanted one, and when Leah gave it to him you could notice by how he moved his tail that he was almost as happy as Samantha, almost but not quite.

—So, is there anything you want to talk about? —Leah asked the group.

Looking down Sam said:

—I’ve been thinking about Kathley’s disappearance and… murder. I believe there is something fishy about it, don’t you find it a little weird that some random junkie would just kill her and just leave her in the beach to rot?

—Is this because of what happened today at school? —Leah asked really concerned.

—Yes, what Harvey was saying got me curious about what happened, the things he was saying about me, even if they weren’t true, couldn’t be true, they made me realize that there is something strange in all of this. Earlier today I thought that if I wrote everything down I would feel better, and for a moment I did, but now I realized that If I really want to be at peace I need to know the truth.

A long silence followed as everyone looked at her and some tears rolled out from her eyes.

—Wow, that was deep. —Joel said as the first to open his mouth.

—Is there anything we can do to help you? —Asked Leah.

—I don’t know, I have no idea where to start. —Was Sam’s answer.

—We could go to where the body was found. I doubt there is anything left to see, but It doesn’t hurt to take a look. —Said Zoe.

—I guess we could do that. —Answered Sam.

—So, when are we doing this? —Asked Joel.

—I’m going right now, you can come if you want to.

—Wait, right now?! We just arrived! —Was Joel’s perplexed answer.

—It’s okay if you don’t want to come, I’ll be going. —And so, Sam left the backyard.

—Wait Samantha, I will come too. —Said Leah and hurried to follow her.

— I’ll be going as well, you coming? —Said Zoe.

—Nah, I’ll go home. —Was Abner’s response. He quickly left the scene.

—Great, and you? —Looking at Joel.

—I think I should go, but I don’t know…

—No, what happens is you didn’t care about Kathley, in fact I believe you were jealous of here, spending so much time with Sam.

—Wait, what are you implying here?

—You know exactly what I mean Joel —Said Zoe in a condescending manner. —Even if you don’t want to accept it because you have a little crush on Sam.

—Hey, I don’t have a cru —Before he could finish the phrase Zoe cut him off. —We aren’t doing this for Kathley, we are doing this for Sam, if you truly love her you’d come.

With his cheeks turned red Joel said —I have work things to do later, so anyway I couldn’t even come.

—Well it’s your decision. —After saying this Zoe smiled and was about to leave when Joel said —What about Abner, you don’t reproach him anything? —Slowly Zoe turned around to look at Joel.

—You know how he is, he probably thinks that if someone finds him on the beach looking for clues they’ll laugh at him and think he’s crazy. 

—It could, be that. Or maybe you like him. What makes him so special, the nerdy boy who can’t relate to people properly.

—I don’t like Abner, he’s ugly… and annoying, I don’t know where you are getting this from. —And then she quickly left before the scene turned even more uncomfortable. She went at a fast pace through the house and in an instant was already in front of it with Leah and Sam.

—Ready to go?

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**_—Chapter 4_ **

**_What the waves took with them_**

After a kinda long walk they finally arrived at the beach. During their travel time they had been playing a curious game, it consisted of clapping in turns, each one had about 10 seconds to clap, if they didn’t do it in time they would be eliminated and the last one clapping would win. The 3 girls played this game for a total of 19 minutes (Aka the whole time). Neither of them remembered how and why they had started doing it, they just had. Oh, you can be sure there were some hilarious comments about how stupid it was, but no one stopped, they just kept doing it as if their lives depended on it. They received some curious looks from the few people they encountered along the way, one of those people was professor Tometi who said to them the hilarious comment of how he would kill himself if anyone he knew saw him doing that. The only response he got was three looks of disdain and the words _go home!_ from Zoe. This ridiculous clapping game is the perfect example of how weird and unique we humans are as a species, we’re capable of complex thoughts and building impressive structures and we’re capable of having fun by in turns having the flesh of our hands clash together to create a clapping sound. Curious creatures indeed.

—We’re finally here —Said Sam.

—The body was found over there, Samantha. —Responded Leah signaling to the place Kathley had been found.

—Hey, girls before we go there I want to say something; we never do this again, we never talk about it, we do not joke about, not even a little bit, if someone does she’s gonna miss land to run, and we try whit all our forces forget about it as fast as we can. —Said Zoe

—About going to the beach to investigate? —Asked Leah confused.

—No, about our little game! —Answered Zoe a little irritated, but only a little

—Oh, ok, no I mean, what game? —Said Leah with a smile on her face.

—The game we just pla… —Was going to say Zoe until Sam cut her off —She’s joking Zoe. —After a brief pause to think she responded —Clever girl! —The trio laughed.

Sam and Leah took off their shoes, Zoe didn’t because why would she, and they descended from the pathway to the sand and slowly through the little twisting dunes of the beach they walked over to where the body Kathley Tripton had been found in a morbid state some two weeks ago. The waves that had surely brought the body to shore where calmly, slowly and constantly coming to the beach. _—It looks like the sea is crying. —_ Were Samantha’s thoughts at the time.

After a little contemplative moment looking at the waves and the horizon the three of them started investigating. They didn’t really know what they were looking for or where to find it. Sam started digging in the sand on some random places to see if she could find something, as unlikely as that would be. The police had already finished their investigation days ago and even them hadn’t really found anything of interest apart of the obvious dead human. When a while more had passed Leah and Zoe were both tired of searching but Sam wouldn’t, no, couldn’t give up.

Leah touched the water with her toe. It was super cold.

—Now go swimming! —Said Zoe ironically and loudly (She was seated on the sand watching everything happen).

—I’m not crazy! —Leah responded now with her two feet on the water. —Besides I don’t want to wet my clothes. —She added as sweetly as she always did.

—There are people for everything —Were Zoe’s last word in this conversation.

Some time passed, the sun was starting to set, and Leah and Zoe were starting to get a little bored.

—You can leave if you want, I can search alone. —Said Sam still digging.

—And let the murderer get you too, I think not. —Zoe responded.

—Exactly, I won’t leave you alone here, especially if there is some murderer still free. —Added Leah.

—Thanks, girls, this means a lot. —Sam got up and went to sit beside them on the ground. —I should rest a bit, I’ve been searching for almost an hour.

—Isn’t the sunset beautiful? —said Leah.

—It truly is. —Concluded Sam.

They spent some time just admiring the views and talking and joking. Sam had the misfortune of mentioning their little game. This got Zoe really mad (jokingly) and Leah laughing as the two girls were discussing and eventually wrestling in the sand.

It was getting dark and Zoe said they should go back, that if Sam wanted to they could come again another day. At first, Sam agreed reluctantly but as they were leaving and shaking the sand from their clothes Sam suddenly started to remember something. She didn’t know from where or even why, but it was very clear in her mind. She started running along the shore to a little cave, if you could call it that, that was on the beach, in the hill where the lighthouse was located. Her two friends started following her, Zoe could keep close as she was in good form but for Leah, it was much harder as she wasn’t nearly in such a good form as Sam and her shoes weren’t adequate for running. Still she followed them the best she could even if she was far behind. Sam finally arrived at the cave, Zoe came close by and at last Leah got there too.

—What do you expect to find here? It’s far from where the body was found and if there ever was anything the tide has surely taken it along. —Said Zoe a little weirded out from Sam’s behavior.

—I remember something here, on the ground, buried. Help me dig, please.

Sam started to dig and the other two followed her lead. It wasn’t a fun task and after a while, they were absolutely tired. When they were losing all hope of finding anything Sam got the treasure.

—Here, I Found It! —Exclaimed Sam full of joy.

—What is that? —Asked Leah.

—It’s Kathley’s diary. —Said Sam as Leah came to have a closer look to it. —But all the pages seem to have gotten wet, this is unreadable.

Only the covers had survived the wrath of the sea. As Leah and Sam were examining it Zoe came closer and above the two of them asked.

—How did you know that was there? —Were Zoe’s words. They were words said with a weird tone, a tone that might suggest some kind of suspicion, at least it seemed this way to Sam.

—I don’t know, it was weird, I just remembered that it was here. —Was Sam’s answer, she truly was as confused as Zoe.

—Anyway, how did it even end up here? —Asked an irritated Zoe.

—Maybe someone wanted to hide it? —Was Leah’s suggestion.

After a brief pause, Sam remembered something else.

—Not someone, me.

—What?! —Reacted Zoe and Leah at the same time.

—I came here and buried it, I don’t know when, or why but I did it. That I’m sure of.

—Do you have amnesia or something?

Sam looked down.

—I promise both of you I don’t know what this is all about.

—I believe you. —Said Leah immediately and with a lot of positive energy.

—Why would you even be lying? —Was all Zoe said

Without saying anything Sam placed the diary on a pocket inside her jacket.

—I’ll look at it more later, let’s go, it’s already dark. —Said Sam dimly.

The three girls came out of the cave and slowly started their way back. The moon was already high in the sky giving a mystical and beautiful feeling to the beach.

Halfway through in the beach Leah pulled Zoe aside.

—We should give Sam some space, right now she clearly needs to be alone and think.

—I guess you’re right.

—Zoe, don’t be so harsh on her, this is all affecting Samantha very much. She needs her friends to be at her side and support her.

—You are right, but don’t you think this is all a little weird.

—Of course, it is, that’s why we need to help her get through it. She is clearly as confused as we are. Kathley meant a lot to her it’s normal that she is acting a little weird. —After a brief pause to think Leah continued —Earlier today I made a promise to you, now you promise me we’ll both do all we can to help her.

—I swear.

—That’s not enough, give me your pinky finger.

—Is this really necessary? We are not little girls anymore.

—Oh, please just do it.

Then and there, under the moonlight, Zoe Hashi and Leah Weathley made a pinky promise to help their friend, no matter the circumstances.

And talking about their friend, Samantha was already out of the beach. She was going home, thinking about those memories she’d experienced. There was something strange about them, why did she remember those specific moments but not the context it had all happened in. And why would she even hide Kathley’s diary, it made no sense. _—Maybe I do have amnesia as Zoe claimed. —_ Sam didn’t really know how real amnesia worked at all, she had only seen it on fictional stories, and these kinds of things in stories aren’t usually accurate when compared with reality.

As she was about to put on her headphones to listen to some music she noticed something weird in the distance. It was a man in dark robes, with a red glow on his eyes, thanks to the light of the eyes she also noticed his skin was super pale, as pale as Kathley’s when she’d been found. He was observing Sam’s every movement. When the mysterious man saw Sam back looking at him he started to leave, at first slowly but when he noticed that Sam was now following him he started to accelerate his pace until the point he was running. The mysterious man wasn’t the only one who could run though, Sam had started following him as fast as she possibly could. _—Why was he looking at me? And that weird appearance? Why is he running? He could have something to do with all this. I must catch him, I must!_

During the chase Sam was almost hit by a car, twice and at one point she even jumped over one’s capo. The mysterious man wasn’t exactly slow, at almost all points he always had a great advantage over Sam, and he didn’t even seem to get tired. After a couple of minutes, Sam was sweating and going slower by the moment but the man just continued. Due to this eventually, Sam lost him in a crossing. Sam couldn’t continue even if she knew where he’d gone, which she clearly did not. Sam was resting, with her back on the wall when she noticed something strange as she looked down to the floor; a blood trail. It turns out that the man had been bleeding this whole time and with the thrill and adrenaline of the chase Sam hadn’t even noticed. _—No, that’s not possible, if that was his blood he couldn’t possibly go that fast._ She looked if the trail continued, but it ended suddenly on a road. Today had clearly been one of the weirdest days of Sam’s life, worthy of being written about on a diary, but this mysterious man had been the icing on the cake, Sam struggled to make sense of it, there was only one thought that came into her head _—Vampire! He had to be a Vampire, surely he also killed Kathley for her blood, that would explain the paleness and that weird cut kind of looked like a bite._ —Even just thinking about all this being real, and not part of a story sent shivers through her body.

  
  


**_—Chapter 5_ **

**_Sweet, sweet nightmares_**

—Hi mom. —Sam saluted her mother a 40—year—old black woman, with broad features, brown eyes, big lips and nose and medium length black curly hair.

—Where have you been Samantha? You can’t come home this late without even calling or sending a message.

—I was at Leah’s and in the beach, I told Paul to tell you. But don’t worry I’m fine. —Sam said and started climbing the stairs to the upper floor.

— With all that has happened, and you say I shouldn’t be worried! Your friend goes missing and dies, and today there’s been a shooting on your school?!, I heard that a crazy man aimed a gun and screamed at you. How wouldn’t I be worried.

—Well I’m here mom, everything’s okay, Paul should’ve told you where I was.

Her mom looking more relaxed now asked Sam if she didn’t want anything to eat, but she wasn’t hungry. She told her mom good night and went upstairs to her room. As soon as she arrived she undressed and went to the bed, she fell asleep almost instantly, desiring a night of good rest and sweet dreams, but that wasn’t what she would get at all.

As some time has inexorably passed in the world we call reality, Samantha finds herself in an oneiric realm, inside an enormous cavern besides the sea, lying on the sand getting herself watery by the waves of the ocean. Upwards there was a petty opening from where the light of a purple dream—like sun fills the cave with a mystical aura. It was clear to Samantha that she was in a dream, but somehow it all felt real. She got up and started looking around, there was beauty to this world, but also a sense of dread which made her feel as she didn’t belong here. Samantha tried too wake herself up, she soaked her face, tried to hurt herself with a pinch, but any of this didn’t work. Weirdly she was dressed in clothes that weren’t her own, but a black tunic with weird red encryptions on it. She though those encryptions had to form some word or phrase, but obviously she couldn’t understand them. Looking around soon came the realization there was no way out from there, as it was impossible to climb to the opening, except one, diving under the sea. She tried to take the tunic off to swim more easily, but it was impossible. After she braved herself up _—I can do it, I’m not a bad swimmer!_. She took a deep breath and jumped into the blueness of the ocean. As she had suspected there was an opening from where she could pass, but as Samantha started swimming towards it the closer she should have been the farther away the opening was, after a while of this happening she decided to return to the surface, but as Sam looked back she noticed that there was no surface, she was trapped and the only thing she could do is swim to the opening. She felt as her lungs were being filled by salt water, but she swam and swam until finally her forces left her. Samantha was ready to close her eyes and just let it all end, this was just a dream, and the next morning she would wake up in her bed without remembering anything. But then suddenly a voice could be heard in the underwater cavern.

—Sam? Sam is that you? are you here? Please help me!

In her state it took Samantha a few instances to recognize the voice, but it was undoubtedly Kathley’s, and it was coming from the opening. As soon as she realized this she opened her eyes and started swimming once again, and this time she made it, she crossed the opening and started going upwards to get some air. It was a relief having made it to the surface. There was another beach there and Sam rapidly got there. She came out of the water and laid in the sand for a couple of minutes. As she was there soon came the realization that this wasn’t the surface, just another cavern, much bigger than the last one, and also much darker as no light came here. _—Why did I hear Kathley’s voice asking for help? If she is here I must find and aid her._ She started looking for something, she didn’t know exactly what was she expecting to find, but there had to be something of interest right? When she gazed back to the sea she realized with horror and dread that it had turned red, that it had turned to blood. With the tip of her finger she touched it to confirm her suspicion, which Sam’s will turned out to be correct. Right now, a million questions where coming to her head, she literally couldn’t make sense of anything. She tried to wake herself up again, but she couldn’t. Eventually she ended up laying down on the sand and just waiting for the dawn, when her alarm would go up and drag her out of this nightmare.

—You must be confused little one. Take my hand, I’ll help you. —After a few seconds of confusion Sam noticed who was speaking to her. It was a man in the same robes as she was but only his were purple and the encryptions golden. Covering his face there was a mask, it seemed to represent some kind of bird, it was mostly golden to match the encryptions but the eyes, big and round, were made of silver, with red rubies incrusted in the middle. He was offering his hand to get Samantha up. The hand was also covered, with a gold and silver gauntlet, much in the same bird—like style as the mask.

Sam got up without taking the hand.

—Who are you? What do you want? —Asked Samantha a little baffled with the sight that was in front of her.

—You don’t trust me? Well what was I expecting with appearances like these? As to my name you can call me The Guide, and true to my name guiding is what I offer. Now come little one— Compared to him Sam did truly look little as he was much taller than the girl —You don’t need to give me your hand if you don’t want to. —The Guide started walking toward the water turned blood and a bridge started forming. He walked with a weird manner, his hands were pressed together in front of his chest when he took steps, as if he was praying. This all somehow seemed familiar to Sam, until when crossing the bridge, it came to her.

—You are one of my characters! From the novel I want to write. Wait, what are you doing here? And what’s up whit those encryptions? I’ve never imagined them. —Said a confused Samantha as she followed The Guide through the bridge that was still forming itself in front of them.

—Outside forces may be interfering whit it but this is still your dream little one. You were lost so your mind created me to guide you. As for the encryptions I cannot say as I do not know.

—What outside forces?!

—Forces odd and old, forces of blood.

This let Sam a little perplex at first but then she thought about her vampire theory.

—Can vampires manipulate dreams?

—Maybe they can, maybe they can’t, I cannot say as I do not know.

As the bridge arrived at the end of the cave a door started forming. It was a big brown wooden door, and it turned out The Guide had the keys. He opened it and invited Sam to pass.

—What’s on the other side?

—You’ll see, don’t worry it’s not dangerous or scary.

Sam crossed the door and entered a huge dark room, as The Guide followed the lights opened and with doing so they revealed that the room was in fact a library. It was mostly made out of wood and stone, and it had three huge floors full of books and in the center a gigantic three had taken root. On the top, around the three there was an opening from where the same purple light as earlier entered the library. It was as something out of a fantasy book Samantha might have read.

—Right now, I’ve got like a ton of questions! First what is this place?

—A library.

—Yeah, I got that but what’s it doing here, and why are we in it? It makes no sense!

—You’re in a dream little one, not everything has to make sense. Open a book if you want answers. —Samantha obeyed and opened a book but it was written in a language she didn’t understand, the same one as all the encryptions.

—What does it mean?

—I cannot say as I do not know.

—But you said there’d be answers, and maybe I should think more phrases for you to use.

—Answers there are but we can’t understand them, and about the phrases we agree on that little one.

All the books that Samantha opened were written in the same language she couldn’t understand, and they didn’t have any kind of illustrations to at least give her some idea what they were about.

—There is no need to search more, all the books are the same.

—You are right, so where now?

—Up, up and away, we climb the three. And when I said more phrases I didn’t mean for you to use other people’s work.

—Hey, it’s just a reference, it doesn’t hurt anyone!

—I didn’t know you read comic books.

—I don’t, that was on one of Kathley’s comics.

They started climbing the three and It was surprisingly easy to do. They got up much faster than one would expect. What Sam really didn’t expect is what she would find out there.

She emerged to find Seacoast town destroyed, and more surprisingly still a giant Kathley sitting in the center. It wasn’t the Kathley Sam had known, it was a gross and malformed version of her. She was naked, and her skin was dirty and as pale as the day they had found her dead. Her body was full of cuts that looked like bites from another giant _—A giant vampire???_ – and the sizes of the various parts of her body didn’t seem to make sense. She was also missing an eye and some teeth.

—Kathley is that you? —Sam asked, a little scared.

—Who’s talking to me?! —The voice was rougher than usual, but it definitely was Kathley’s.

—It’s me Sam, I’m down here. —The giant moved her head to look at her. They were staring right at each other as well as you could when Kathley’s face was bigger than the entirety of Sam.

—You! —Kathley said with anger in her voice.

—Yes, it’s me, your friend Samantha. —She said trying to calm Kathley down.

—How you dare speak to me again after what you did?!?

—I don’t know what you’re talking about. I would never do anything to hurt you!

—You LIE! —Screamed Kathley so loud that it made the earth tremble. —All of this is your fault – She said signaling to all the destruction around her and her wounds. —And for that you will DIE!!!— The light changed from purple to read and the earth literally broke in half as a giant shaft appeared amidst the town.

Sam started falling down the shaft screaming incoherently and loudly. As the fall kept going and going her head started spinning around, everything was getting darker and darker until she finally hit the ground. It was really painful, if it had happened in real life she would have surely broke all her bones or even died. She got up and started walking forward in a shaft that was darker than night. There was a light at the end, an in that light there was The Guide. _—He will know what to do. –_ Then she made the sudden mistake of looking up, as she saw that Kathley was there looking down, her eyes all red and glowing. She didn’t look human anymore, now there was only the giant monster who was trying to kill her. The monster’s hand didn’t reach down to grab Sam, and she was grateful for that, but her way wasn’t free of dread and danger as she noticed that there was something in the dark following her. She started running, now truly terrified. The monster was making ear shattering noises with her giant gray, deformed and blooded nails against the walls of the shaft. Suddenly something grabbed her feet during a second and left a dark mark there. Sam was running as fast as she possibly could, without looking up or behind. Her goal was to reach The Guide, he surly could help her, at least she hoped so. The truth was much worse as when she reached him screaming for help he said.

—I’ll help you little one – as he took his mask off to reveal a face as gross and pale as the giant monster’s, with long white teeth as a vampire would have. He pushed Samantha to the shadows and more figures just as him started to come out and they all started biting and hurting her everywhere in a gross way. She was screaming, her skin was becoming pale and the pain was larger and larger by the moments until she finally awoke.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**_—Chapter 6_ **

**_New day, new life_**

Sam woke up screaming and sweating. Her mother came rushing into the room.

—Are you okay Sam?!? I heard you screaming!

—It was only a nightmare. I’m okay.

—Are you sure?

—Yes mom, I’m good, really.

—It’s good to hear that. —Her mom, Malay, said. And the she hugged Samantha and wished her good night. After her mom had left Sam started reflecting on the dream she just had, and she realized she was not good. _—WTF was that?!_ —Was the only thing she could think of. It was 4am but Sam couldn’t sleep anymore that night, she was too scared to even try. She tried to relax using the phone, but she quickly grew tired as all her friends where offline and there weren’t any new posts in the social networks. The only new thing she saw was a message from professor Tometi to the whole class that said ``There is no need for to do your homework after yesterday’s fear and shock, and if someone does it doesn’t matter because I’ll probably have already killed myself :) je je, just jkng… 3:47´´ _—This guy has some serious problems, WTF._ When dawn finally came it was a relief for her, that damned night was finally over. She took a shower, washed her teeth, which she only afterwise realized should have been done after breakfast, got dressed, and went downstairs to eat. A delicious smell was coming from the kitchen, the smell of bacon as that coupled with fried eggs was the breakfast her mom had cooked. Paul was already in the table enjoying the food, and Malay was frying more eggs, but someone she didn’t see was her father. Lastly he always looked tired and arrived really late, but he used to make it to breakfast though, as if there was one thing he enjoyed was eating.

—Good morning. Where’s dad? —Said Sam.

—Good morning sweetheart, your father has left early for work this morning. It seems like they are gonna have a really busy day in the office. —This wouldn’t have been weird as her father, named Phoenix, was an attorney who sometimes had a lot of work to do, but given his behavior these last couple months Sam had the feeling that her mother was lying to her, but right now she wasn’t in the mood to dig any deeper into it.

She went to the table and sat alongside Paul who was already finishing his plate.

—How did my big sisters night go, is she scared of the darkness or did she scream because she was caught with her boyfriend. —Paul said sarcastically to her. That her little brother had heard her scream did embarrass her a little.

—You are being quite an asshole lately. —She responded.

—Language Samantha! —Her mom, who sounded like she’d never heard anyone swear before, said.

—Sorry mom. — Lowering her voice so mother couldn’t hear her —But you are being a prick these days, you didn’t even tell her where I went yesterday.

—Ups. Sorry I forgot. —Said Paul who was the one embarrassed now.

—Well I surely don’t owe you any favors now. —She said putting an end to that conversation.

—How many eggs do you want Sam?

—Two will be alright. —Her mother gave her a plate with two eggs and 3 beacon stripes. They truly were as delicious as they smelled and looked. She ended up taking a fourth egg and two more beacon pieces. When she had finished she drank a glass of orange juice.

—That was really delicious mom!

—Thanks Sam. —Her mother answered and smiled to her.

—For once I can agree with my sister. —Added Paul with a grin on his face.

Sam returned upstairs to grab all her high school stuff like schoolbooks and such. _—I don’t have anything new to read right now, maybe I should buy a new book._ —Samantha had always loved reading but since all that stuff with Kathley happened she lost all her appetite for books.

When she was ready she went down and said goodbye to her mom and Paul (who she had insisted to always go to school following a different route that she did, and luckily for her he was happy to apply), and then left the house using the front door.

As was tradition when she walked alone, she was listening to music. Before things went wrong she also used to think and plan her books on these otherwise boring trips, but as had happened with reading, in these last few weeks she hadn’t done it at all, and today wasn’t the day that was gonna change as, much to her disdain, the only think she had in her head where the recent events. Fortunately for her she met with Abner along the way, which meant she had someone to talk with, or in this case more like listen to, so her mind could forget during a while the cursed affairs. They made some small talk with nothing too remarkable being said. Abner happily talked about videogames, which Sam had never been much into, but anyway she listened to it all as one thing she loved to do is hear people talk about things they are passionate about. She had never really understood persons who are mean to others when someone is telling them about something they love, like let people enjoy things.

Abner and Sam’s relationship had never been too profound. He was part of their little group only because a couple years ago Zoe had pitied him when some bullies where ridiculing him in the school yard, and so invited him to join them to aid him. From that day on he has been a part of the group because he really doesn’t have any other friends, so it would be rude to reject him. Besides he can sometimes be funny because of how silly he is, especially when he’s drunk.

A couple of streets from the school they found Zoe who was smoking a cigarette and using the phone.

—You two finally appear. —Said Zoe saluting them. —You want one? —She added referring to the cigarettes.

—No, I brought my own. —Said Sam reaching for her handbag and took one cigarette. —I don’t have fire tough. —Zoe lent her a lighter so Sam could start smoking.

—You are here early. —Remarked Abner.

—I wanted to make sure Sam was alright, yesterday she left the beach running. So, are you alright? —She asked.

—Why is it that everyone keeps asking me if I’m alright?! Yes, I’m fine, there is nothing to worry about. —Said Sam a little irritated.

—You may fool them, but we have been friends for over a decade, you can’t fool me. You are not alright, what’s going on apart of the obvious?

—I suppose I should tell you… —And so, Sam started telling them about what had happened last night, from the mysterious figure vampire she chased around the town and the gripping nightmare that felt more like reality than a dream. During the telling they had time to finish the cigarettes and arrive to the school’s front door.

—Wow, that was quite a story. —Said Zoe with something that Sam interpreted as incredulity in her voice.

—You don’t believe me. —Responded Sam a little disappointed as they were entering the main building.

—No, I do believe you, why would you be lying? It’s only that this is a lot to take in.

The three of them started silently going up the stairs to the third floor were their class was. They had arrived much earlier than usual so there was almost no one to be seen. Along the way Abner asked.

—What will you do about all this you’ve told us?

Sam looked down and said. —I don’t know yet.

Another silence fell upon them which was broken, when they arrived upstairs, by Zoe trying to lighten the ambient.

—The last time I was here so early I still cared about my grades! —Zoe hadn’t been a good student for the past couple years, only passing of course barely. This made Sam have a little chuckle and Abner to do a weird long laugh, that if you didn’t know him you would have thought it was fake. One younger student saw him laughing, so he stopped immediately and bowed his head down from embarrassment.

—Abner, he only looked at you, he wasn’t even laughing, you don’t need to be so embarrassed! —Said Zoe with the intention of helping him.

—I know, but It made me feel so stupid and silly. —He said shyly so only the Sam and Zoe would hear it. Then he opened his phone to distract himself and saw Tometi’s nocturnal message.

—Crap, I did do the homework! Did any of you?

—The only thing that I’ve been more time without doing than arriving early is homework. —Commented Zoe.

—I didn’t do it either. —Added Sam.

—What a weird message though. I don’t know why they let that guy be a professor. The only thing he does is joke about suicide! —Said Zoe.

—You are right, it is weird. —Said Abner while opening the classroom door. —Huh, I didn’t expect for this to be open.

Abner went inside and the other two followed. Sam turned the lights on, and then she and Abner screamed as they never had in their lives, and Zoe remained paralyzed from shock. In the room’s center there, lay professor Tometi hanged to death with the message “I finally did it, are you happy?” written in the board behind him.

**_—Chapter 7_ **

**_The choice_**

People started rushing into the classroom to see what had happened. Sam had also frozen stiff after shouting. _—This can´t be true, has he really killed himself?! —_ Were her thoughts.

A professor arrived soon enough, and she also screamed at first, and then she went outside the room to call the police. Even in her shocked state Samantha noticed that Tometi wasn’t dressed in his professor clothes, but rather dark robes similar yesterday’s vampire, and hers and The Guide’s inside the nightmare, and his skin was as pale as snow. To everyone’s dismay Sam climbed up to a table beside the body, so she could look closely to Tometi’s face.

—What the fuck are you doing?! —Asked a concerned Zoe.

—I’m checking a few things. —Answered Sam without taking her attention away from the corpse. She opened his eye and saw that it indeed was red, instead of it’s usual brown. She also looked inside his mouth, to see the teeth _—This is gross. —_ She thought as she was holding the mouth open. The teeth indeed looked vampire—like as they were long, sharp and white. _—Was Tometi really the vampire? He saw as going to the beach, so it could be…_

Sam got down quickly and let everything how it was before her tampering. As she was about to leave she noticed a note on the ground, it was written by Tometi _—A suicide note? –_ Samantha knew she wouldn’t have the time to read it, but she did take a photo of it.

—Now everyone out! You there Samantha don’t touch anything! — Said professor Elizabeth, an old and fat lady who got angry really fast, specially nowadays. —Fast, the police will arrive at any moment! —After hearing her shout everyone left the room.

They were sitting in the hallway, waiting to be told what to do. When the initial convulsion had worn out almost every student was quiet, only a few were talking, and it was lowly. It was quite the scene, so many teenagers in the same place being silent.

—Can you believe he really did it? —Asked Zoe.

—No, I never thought he was serious, I used to believe he had a very morbid sense of humor. That’s all. —Was Sam’s answer.

—I read online once that someone with suicidal intentions, first started making jokes about it. —Said Abner —I should’ve seen this coming.

—Abner please don’t start blaming yourself.

—Zoe is right, this has nothing to do with you.

The police arrived right then. Before going to the classroom they ordered everyone to stay because they had questions to ask.

—What were you looking for back there? —Asked Zoe to Sam.

—The robes he wore, they where the same than yesterdays vampire, so I wanted to know if it had been him who I encountered last night.

—Did you find anything?

—Yes, his eyes were red…

—That’s weird —Said Abner.

—…and his teeth where white and sharp, as a vampire’s.

—Are you sure about his whole vampire thing Sam? Have you thought that maybe you accepted it too soon and without enough proof?

—What else could it be Zoe?

—I don’t know, but last time I checked vampires couldn’t manipulate dreams.

—That’s the part that weirds me as well, but even in the dream there where vampires! It’s the only thing that makes sense. —Was Sam’s annoyed answer.

Sam suddenly remembered the note she hadn’t had time to check out earlier. She took her phone out to look at the picture.

—There was also this note, I took a picture of it.

—What does it say?

 _“My name is Tometi Itemot, I’m a professor at Seacoast high school, but more importantly I’m a worthless piece of shit. This is my suicide note, if it wasn’t obvious enough. I’ve been struggling with my mental health and depression almost all my life. I don’t think there was any specific reason for it to start, it just did. What I said before about being a worthless piece of shit is what I’ve thought of myself for many years, and what I believe other people think of me, my friends and family say that this is not true, and deep down I know they love and care about me, it just doesn’t feel that way thanks to my fucking mind. My way of escaping from these things has been trough humor. I’ve always joked about my mental state, somehow it helped me to feel better, and this way other people wouldn’t know my problems are serious and not mere stupid jokes. On recent years though I have really felt better. I’ve got a good stable job that gives me enough money to live well enough, a wonderful husband who I love very much, a reliable professional helping me overcome my mental health problems, and I live in a beautiful small town close to nature. During some time, I’ve really felt alive, but in recent months it has all turned to shit again. I’ve felt tired all the time and I don’t know why, but even when I sleep I’m not resting as dreams almost as real as real life take me with them. And then there are the blackouts, I suddenly pass out and then appear in some other place, in a different day, with different clothes… sometimes soaked with blood. I couldn’t bear it anymore, so I decided to escape the only way there is, but but even this dooodoosn’t feell aasa choice of mymy own will… I didididdn’t wannnnt to do It hereree, ththeh studentdss shouldn’’’t sii thisiss… I FINALLY DID IT, ARE YOU HAPPY?_ _BECAUSE IT’S YOUR FAULT!!”_

 _—What did I just read?! —_ Thought Sam after finishing.

—Can I read it? Your face tells me it will be worthwhile. —Said Zoe. Sam gave her the phone, so she and Abner could also read the note. They were just as perplexed as Sam when they finished.

—Wow, this was weird and sad… —Was Zoe’s reaction. Sam could see that Abner thought the same, even if he didn’t verbally express it.

—At the end it seemed like something had possessed him… —Said Abner.

—Maybe vampires don’t have control over their actions. I once read a book about that. —Sam observed. —Anyway, I do think that what he was saying here is real, the dreams I know for sure as I had one myself, so why wouldn’t the blackouts and not having control over his actions be.

—Maybe he killed Kathley. —Abner expressed what the other two where too terrified to say, even if it had crossed their minds. An uncomfortable silence fell upon them.

—It’s a possibility… —Said Sam sadly after a while. It just felt weird that someone who they had seen almost every day for many years could murder an innocent girl, even if he couldn’t control his actions. —We still can’t be 100% sure, it’s just that a possibility.

They spent some time quietly reflecting about what had happened, finally it was Sam again who broke the silence.

—I’ve made a choice, I will reach the end of this, and find out what is happening. It seems it will be a dangerous path to travel, so I won’t ask you to walk on it with me.

—No, cut this bullshit speech Sam, we will travel that path with you because you are our friend. We won’t let you do it alone. —Said Zoe trying to uplift her friend.

—Won’t we… —Asked Abner timidly.

—Of course, we won’t! —Said Zoe after hitting Abner with her elbow. —So, what do you have in mind Sam?

—Tonight I… No, we will go to the town’s detention center, I want to speak with Harvey, Kathley’s father, as he seems to have suffered the dreams as well and might know something. I also want to talk with the junkie that was arrested for the murder, see if he really is guilty. —Said Sam.

—How are you planning to do that? There is a guard and security cameras there. —Asked Zoe.

—Joel knows the guard, I think he might help me with him, and the cameras won’t work if we cause a blackout, cutting a cable from the districts circuit box.

—That’s really risky Sam, if something goes wrong we’ll be in big trouble.

—I know Zoe, but what other choice do I have? And as I said you don’t need to come.

—If you go I will come, don’t worry about that, but is this really so important, just let it be and try to continue with your life…

—I can’t do that Zoe, believe me I’ve tried— Said Sam almost screaming. —From the moment Kathley went missing I’ve been trying to let it go, to don’t think about it, and it clearly hasn’t worked. I know I may be chasing some illusion, seeing connections where there aren’t any, but I need to do this, I need to know what happened, so I can continue to live my life and not only suffer it.

Now she was crying. The other two didn’t know what to do or say, until Zoe decided to get up and hug Sam. Abner decided to join the hug, a bit uncomfortably as everyone was looking at them. Sam smiled and said.

—Thanks, I don’t know what I would do without you. 

  
  
  
  


**_—Chapter 8_ **

**_Zoebner Team up_**

The time was around 1pm, and Zoe and Abner where making their way to the circuit box, to cut a cable that would cause a blackout on the area.

This was all Sam’s plan, as the whole group had met at Leah’s in the afternoon. With the shocking event that had happened that morning, the police had questioned Sam, Zoe and Abner as they where the first to find the body. It was mostly boring, as the questions were basic and predictable, and it took a surprisingly long time for such a simple task. After that they all parted ways, until the later meeting, where this whole plan was explained by Sam using a board with maps and notes, like you would see in a story. The intent was probably to simplify everything, but that didn’t work out. Luckily the plan itself wasn’t too complicated so at the end there was no problem.

First Joel would convince the guard, who is his friend, to open the door and abandon his post at the time of the blackout, which in turn would be caused by Zoe and Abner cutting a cable from the districts circuit box. At last Sam and Leah would enter the detention center and speak to Harvey and the junkie, who they found out is named Louis.

—This is a terrible idea. —Said a nervous Abner.

—You’ve said that like twenty times already! —Said Zoe who was leading the way. —There is nothing to be afraid of, we are the least likely ones to get in trouble. _—At least I hope I’m right. —_ She thought _._

I was a dark night, the sky was clouded so you couldn’t see the moon or stars, and in this part of town there weren’t many lampposts, being on the edge, at the side of the forest, as it was. This seemed to make Abner even more nervous.

—What if we are attacked by a vampire or a monster? —He asked almost shaking.

—We don’t even know if those things are real, Sam believes so, but she is going trough a lot. Come faster now, we are almost there. —Was Zoe’s answer. She said it really convincingly but on the inside she had her doubts. — _Maybe not a vampire, but there has to be something out there, or are we all just turning crazy and paranoid?_

Zoe looked at her phone’s clock, to see if they could make it in time. She noticed they had to hurry up a little, so decided to start running, and told Abner to follow which he reluctantly did. Abner running was a curious scene, which didn’t unfold very often. His body language was weird, it felt like he could fall at any moment. Many of his insecurities come from not doing “normal” things in a “normal” way, or maybe it’s because of his insecurities he can’t do “normal” things in a “normal” way, which one is it is like asking which came first the egg or the chicken. Even being a little weird Zoe found his running style, which she hadn’t paid attention to previously, really cute.

They arrived at the location of the circuit box, a little alley between two houses bordering the forest, there was a car parked there that hid the box from the main street. Zoe had arrived fine, but Abner was tired and sweating everywhere.

—How are you so tired, oh right, this was such a _looong_ run… —Said Zoe sarcastically.

Abner tried to answer but couldn’t get any words out of his mouth, so he just awkwardly shrugged in embarrassment. _—I shouldn´t have said that. —_ Zoe realized.

She started looking at the closed box, focusing on the lock.

—I think I can break it... —She said and started reaching for the backpack were all their tools where.

—Wait, I can open it using my father’s picklock, I brought it whit me. — Abner said with determination —At least I believe I can. —He added a little more unsure.

—Go ahead, I didn’t know you knew how to use one of those. —Said Zoe.

—I don’t go out much… —Said Abner who had already knelt before the box and started working. It was taking a while, and Abner was clearly concentrated, and making some weird moaning noises, so Zoe came out of the alley to have a little look around. The night was as dark as before, but she could see well enough to notice that there wasn’t no one around.

She was a little nervous about their actions, so to call herself down she started smoking a cigarette. She also answered some messages Sam sent her asking if all was going right. The night was getting cold and she was getting bored, so Abner finishing came in the right moment.

—Ha, ha, I did it you filthy lock! —He shouted. Zoe couldn’t contain herself a little laugh. Then she went back to the alley.

In front of her was the circuit box open, and Abner sitting on the floor with a smile on. She reached her hand to him, to help him get back up, but instead of taking it Abner high fived her, then his face went red from shame. Zoe just laughed it off and offered him her hand again, and this time he took it.

—Abner, people won’t judge you because of a little mistake like that, specially your friends. —Zoe told him with a grind.

—I know, I just feel stupid when I do these kind of things, and then I remember them for a long time, even if nobody else does, sometimes when I’m doing something casual these kinds of things come into my mind, and suddenly I feel bad and ashamed and… ah, why I’m a telling you this. —Abner said looking down.

—Don’t worry, you can tell me. —Answered Zoe.

—That’s good to hear, but now we must focus on our mission. —Said Abner.

—You are right. —She responded kneeling down to the circuit box. —Pass me the pincers please.

Abner gave them to her and asked what he should do, she asked him to watch if anyone was coming, while she thought what cables she should cut.

After a while of waiting, he saw a man approaching so he rushed to tell Zoe.

—There is a man coming!

—If he turns to this alley distract him. The car should hid me from his view.

—How? —He asked concerned.

—Talk to him. —She said while struggling to cut a cable.

—I can’t do that.

—You can do it Abner. —Responded Zoe with the intent of motivating him.

And unluckily for him, the man did turn to the alley. He was a tall strong man, white skinned and scary to look at.

—What are you doing here alone kid? —With a voice that was rough and impatient.

—Oh, ah I’mmmm aaa wa—waiting for a friend, yes that’s it. —Said Abner, who felt like he was facing a final boss of a videogame, with only one live and incapable of pausing.

—A weird place to meet someone, are you buying drugs or what?.

—No, no nothing of the sorts, I actually have absolutely no clue why they wanted to, eh, meet here. Oh god, maybe I got pranked, that would be absolutely terrible don’t you think? _—I need to buy her time! Come on Abner you are fucking doing it!._

—Well I don’t have time to worry for you, now get out of the way so I can take my car. —He said annoyedly.

—Of cours… Ahhh! —Abner intentionally fell to the ground and pushed the backpack with the tools to were he could see it.

—What are these?!, Aren’t you a little young to be a burglar! —He said now really angry.

—It’s not what it looks like, really these tools are here just so I can… fix my dads car. —He responded, while signaling to the vehicle at his side.

—Enough bullshit on me, I’m gonna call the police, because that is MY FUCKING CAR! —His face was red with rage and anger. —Or maybe I should just punch you on your DAMN BABY FACE!!. —He said while cornering Abner against the wall. _—I’m going to die! —_ He thought while a tear almost came from his eye.

Then all the lights went out, leaving them in the absolute dark, Zoe had finally cut the cable. Then she got up and grabbed Abner’s hand and started running away quickly while he awkwardly tried to keep the pace.

—Run Abner, run!

And run he did, faster and longer than ever before, it felt like an eternity even with Zoe’s help. They didn’t stop until they were completely sure that the man wasn’t following them. They had arrived at a little plaza, where they sat down. They were still holding hands.

—You did well Abner. —Zoe said, while smilingly looking at him.

—You, you think so, I don’t know, he was about to punch me and… —Zoe kissed Abner before he could continue. It was a fast—little kiss, after which they looked at each other in the face and smiled, to then start kissing again, much more passionately.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**_—Chapter 9_ **

**_The Questionable Questioning_**

There was light, and suddenly it came, the darkness of a powerless, moonless and starless night. This reminded Sam of what had happened with her life since Kathley’s disappearance, with only a little flashlight in the form of her friends to light the way. Zoe and Abner had apparently triumphed on their mission, and hopefully they hadn’t been caught. Sam sent them a message saying —Good job, now is our turn! — She shut the phone down and looked at Leah’s blue eyes which gave her a glimmer of hope.

—You ready? —Sam asked.

—Yes. —Leah answered.

They opened the front doors of the detention center together. It seems that Joel had accomplished his mission too. Now it was up too them.

Sam lit a flashlight so they could see something. The center was a small institution, as there hardly ever was any crime at Seacoast. As she entered she found herself in a little reception room.

—I don’t tend to do these kinds of things, I’m a little nervous… —Said Leah as she entered behind Sam.

—I don’t tend to do this either, but I get it; you are always the nice girl who follows the rules. —Answered Sam. This clearly upset Leah.

When Sam noticed she added. —I didn’t mean it as something negative. — And then she smiled to her.

There was a map of the installations hanged on the wall.

—It seem we have to take the door in the left and go upstairs, to reach the cells. —Said Leah who had noticed the map first.

Sam reached the left door and tried opening it, but it was closed.

—Dammit! —Exclaimed Sam. —How will we pass now?

—We could break the glass with one of these chairs. —Suggested Leah, noticing that the door could be opened from the other side.

—That might work, but that sounds much more to Zoe’s or Joel’s idea than yours, who are you and what have you done to Leah?! —Said Sam. Leah laughed at the joke and said —I’m the evil, man—imitator, and I’ve killed and supplanted this girl, muahahahaha! —In a voice that was trying to sound evil, but at the end came out as sweet. Now was Sam’s turn to laugh.

The two girls grabbed a chair together and smashed it against the glass. Surprising both of them it worked in the first attempt and the glass shattered in thousands of pieces.

—What harm can one more crime do? —Said Leah. And now they both laughed at unison.

Sam carefully slid her hand down to the pommel of the door in the other side, and opened it, I mean, what else would she had done that for? 

They silently walked to the end of the corridor, lighting their way with the flashlight as to not fall or crash into something, where the stairs that would get them to the upper floor stood. They were grateful that there was no one who could see them as what they were doing was clearly illegal, and both of them were super nervous _—It would be foolish not to be. —_ thought Sam.

When they got upstairs they found themselves in the cell floor, which was their objective. It looks like even if they were nerve bundles at the time they still knew how to read a map. If they hadn’t been able to do that this situation would have been pretty ridiculous. Luckily that wasn’t the case.

Sam pointed the flashlight to the cells and noticed that both Harvey and Louis the junkie were asleep. There was no one else detained, which wasn’t surprising.

—We have to be careful as how we wake them up. —Said Sam.

—You are right, we don’t want to upset them. —Answered Leah.

—I can’t reach them, I think we’ll have to shout. —Said Sam, who couldn’t think of any alternatives, lucky for her, Leah was a little sharper tonight.

—Wait, I can use my phone’s alarm to wake them, it will be less embarrassing. —Said Leah, and Sam nodded in agreement that it was better than her idea.

—Do I ring it? —Asked Leah when she’d taken her phone out.

—Hmmm… Yes, do it. —Said Sam while thinking what she would ask, and how she would ask it. With all the nerves she hardly hadn’t thought about the most important part, the questions.

Leah’s phone made a loud alarm sound and both inmates woke up in surprise.

—What’s going on?! —Shouted Harvey Tripton while Louis was pressed against the wall hugging his cushion. —Are ya monsters, will ya kill me? —Said Louis trembling.

—I’m Sam, Harvey you remember me right? – She said using the flashlight to illuminate herself and Leah. Harvey simply looked down and said. —Ah, it’s you. —In a bitter voice.

—Wait, ya are little girls, that means ya’re not monsters so ya won’t eat me! —Louis said happily, while coming to have a closer look. Then he added —Maybe ya are monsters dressed as girls so me won’t suspect of yo. Well, ya won’t be getting this Louis to yar mouths. —And then he returned to his position pressed against the wall.

—What you two are doing is illegal, you should leave right now. —Harvey said without even looking at their direction.

—I know you feel guilty of what you did, but you don’t have to. At the end no one was hurt. —Said Sam, even if it wasn’t strictly true, as she herself had been damaged physically and mentally. _—I probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him._ —She thought.

—What do you want? —Harvey asked.

—We only want to ask you some questions. —Answered Sam.

—Fine, I’ll answer if you give me something to smoke. —He said _—That will be the fastest way to get rid of them_ —Harvey thought. Sam took a cigarette, lit it and gave it to Harvey.

—Me want too. —Said an exalted Louis. —But wouldn’t ya have something stronger…

—This is the only thing I have. —Sam answered and reluctantly gave her last cigarette to Louis, so he would be more cooperative.

—Ok, so… The first question I want to ask is for Louis. Did you kill her? —Asked Sam while avoiding I contact with Harvey.

—Can’t say me hands are clean from crime, but no I didn’t kill her. —Was the junkie’s answer.

—He says the truth, I’ve questioned him about that myself. Next question. —Added Harvey. His fastness responding took Sam unawares.

—So next I want to know about the dreams. —Said Sam.

—You mean the one where I saw you murder my daughter? —Harvey said with a tone of anger. —I know you didn’t do it. —He quickly added. —I was high on drugs when I went to sleep, and then came the dream, it just felt so real, I was in a dark room, I couldn’t see anything around me, until suddenly a light appeared in the center and in that light I saw you and Kathley. —He was crying while he told the story —One moment you were being friends, having fun and then suddenly you had a knife, and you stabbed her in the neck. You left and I started running towards my daughter but I couldn’t reach her, then I started falling down in the darkness screaming, until I woke up. The next thing I remember I was in the school with a gun in my hand. —Now he was looking at Sam and said. —I don’t blame you if you don’t believe me.

—I do believe you, I also had a dream like that, a dream that felt too real. —Sam answered.

—Wait, ya two also had dreams like me? Me haven’t told anyone, but me have them too. It was because a dream that I went and placed my fingerprints over Kathley’s body. Me couldn’t control ma actions. —Said Louis.

—You are 100% sure you are not the killer?

—That me am. Wait, what is ya full name?

—Samantha Lily Wright. —The girl said wondering why he was asking that.

—So, me thought, in me dream someone said ya Samantha Lily Wright, where the true killer.

 _—That isn’t true, I didn’t kill her, why do these dreams claim I did? I remember the day Kathley disappeared I was… Where was I? What was I doing? —_ Sam horrified came to the realization she didn’t remember anything about the days around Kathley’s disappearance.

—Samantha, some… —Tried to say Leah, but Sam wasn’t listening, she wanted to know more about the dream. —What else happened in that dream?! —Sam asked exaltedly. —Tell me!

—Samantha someone is coming! —Shouted Leah so she would get her attention. —We have to leave.

—But I need to know more. —Said Sam. Just when she finished they heard someone enter the room.

—Who’s there? —A female voice shouted. Sam recognized it, the voice was that of police agent Sarah Avesta.

Sam and Leah didn’t have time to react before Sarah’s flashlight had caught them.

—What are you two doing here? —She asked angrily. Then she spoke to her walkie—talkie and said that there was nothing to worry about, only two teenage girls.

—Sit down on those chairs, and don’t even think about leaving, and leave the prisoners be. —She said and left the room.

Sam tried to talk more with the inmates but Harvey and Leah quickly shut her down.

When they’d waited some five minutes the power suddenly returned. In a while Sarah came to the room and put the lights on.

—Sam, and what’s your name? —She asked.

—Leah. —She responded shyly.

—Sam and Leah, you could be in great trouble for what you’ve done tonight, but it’s not my job to punish you. I only will ask you some questions. Answer sincerely, please that’s all I’m asking you. —Both Leah and Sam nodded. Sam then added.

—It was my idea to come here, it’s my fault, Leah is only here because I dragged her along.

—That’s not an excuse to do something stupid and illegal. —Sarah said. —Why and how you did it?

After a pause to think what she should say she decided to go with the truth, as Sarah had been nice to her before she figured it would be for the best. —I wanted to question Harvey and Louis about Kathley’s murder, recently I’ve experienced some weird stuff, I had this dream that felt so real, and someone, who I believe was a vampire, was spying on me and when I followed him he just disappeared, and… my memories are a mess, I don’t remember anything close to Kathley’s disappearance, and Tometi’s suicide note… And all that led me here to speak to them. To enter I caused a blackout —Maybe she wasn’t telling the entire truth, but it was to avoid her friends getting in trouble. —and talked to the guard here who is my friend, oh and I forgot to mention Harvey’s crime, but you already know about that and that he blamed me for her daughter…

—Sam stop. —As Sarah said this Sam realized that maybe she wasn’t telling everything in the best conceivable way.

—You don’t believe me, you think I’m crazy… —Said Sam sighing.

—Sam, I know it can be hard dealing with a loss, when I was around your age I lost my parents, and it was terrible. At first I was in denial, but then I started to look for explanations. I was a huge bookworm just like you, so that influenced the stories I would create in my mind, of conspiracies, magic, mask murderers, ghost… But at the end I had to accept that it was a simple car accident. I think you are having a similar experience to me. I understand, really, but you have to let go. Life is life, and sometimes it can be messy and unjust. Your friend was most likely killed by some random violent person high on drugs, this is a small town, there hadn’t been any major crime for 50 years before Kathley, those kinds of things just don’t happen here. Maybe it was Louis or maybe not, that will be decided on the trial. If it wasn’t him we will keep looking for the culprit, but that’s our job not yours. What you have done today was reckless and illegal, for gods sake causing a blackout on the same district where the hospital is, you could have put people’s lives in danger! —She made a little pause before continuing —I’m sorry I know you didn’t do this with bad intentions. Will make a deal ok? You and your friend will stop looking in to Kathley’s case, and definitely won’t commit any crimes again, and then you’ll look for professional help on dealing with your loss. If you promise me this I won’t tell anyone of what you’ve done here today, so you won’t be in trouble.

Now Sam was crying a lot and she yelled —You don’t understand, you think I’m crazy that I should look for help. —And she left the room and the building running and shedding tears.

Back in the center Leah promised Sarah that they would do as she said and that Sam was just upset at the moment. But any of this Samantha wouldn’t hear until the next day as right now she was arriving home.

She entered the house and slammed the door behind her. She was angry, really angry. _—No one understands me!_ —As she was about to go upstairs her mom comes out and shouts.

—Where the fuck have you been! You think you can just disappear in the middle of the night or what?!

—Not now mom! —Sam shouted up to her, right now she really wasn’t in the mood for this.

She went to her room and slammed its door too. She went to her bed and took her last cigarette and started smoking. Even that couldn’t calm her anger and stress. When she was sure her mom wouldn’t follow her in she slid her hand between her thighs and started touching herself.

After a while when she had finished and was more calmed down and ready to go to sleep a rock came flying into her room from the open window. It had a note wrapped around and it said _Come to the forest behind the lighthouse immediately if you want to know the truth_

**_—Chapter 10_ **

**_Fear the forest_**

Sam rushed to the window and looked out trying to see who’d thrown the rock, but there wasn’t anybody outside. _—Should I go? —_ A thousand different thoughts about the note’s purpose came into her head: It could be a prank, or an attempt to lure her in to the forest and murder her, or someone genuinely telling her the truth or…

She wanted to go but she was also a little scared, how not to be?!. Sam was going to pass on the invitation until she remembered that her father had a gun. _—I don’t know if I could shoot, but it could be useful anyway, to intimidate any attackers. —_ It was supposed to be hidden so neither she or Paul could find it, but they had, years ago, it had been very easy.

Sam exited her room carefully, watching for her mother, hoping she’d gone back to sleep. Luckily for her she had. Trying to be as silent as possible she made her way to the attic. The roof hatch made quite the noise but no one else seemed to notice. She entered and lid her flashlight which she still had with her and started looking for the weapon. The last time she’d seen the gun, it had been atop the closet. She needed a chair to reach there and grab the weapon which as expected was there. Sam didn’t know how a gun works, I mean, she knew that if she pressed the trigger and the weapon was loaded it would shoot, but she didn’t know how to reload it, or know to see if it was loaded or not, or how to endure the recoil…

She put it in her pocket and climbed down from the attic. She rushed downstairs and exited the house. In the way to the forest she wrote a message to her friends telling them what had happened so they would know where to find her the next day if something went wrong. _—I could die tonight._ —She had thought of the possibility earlier, but it wasn’t until now that her mind realized it was a really likely outcome of events. That terrified her.

The lighthouse was at her sight before entering the forest. It was a big beacon of hope for her, lighting the skies on a night dominated by complete darkness. She stepped into the woods, and in there the only light came from herself. Herself was her only hope of survival if this indeed was a trap. _—You can do this Samantha!_ —She thought at each step she made, as each one was harder than the previous one.

The forest was full of nocturn sounds which she knew belonged there but chilled her anyway. She was approaching the site of the meeting and so to keep her from exploding from nerves and fear she started shouting.

—Is anybody there? I’m Sam, I’ve come. —No response came, but she noticed something moving in front of her. —I have a gun and I know how to use it. —She bluffed. Sam kept approaching the sight of the movements at a slow pace and when she finally was there it turned out it was just a boar. As the girl was sighing with relief a voice came from behind.

—I’m here. —Said a male dream like voice which sounded alien to her. Sam turned around with the gun in shooting position. Indeed, there was a man standing in the shadows. She’d drop her flashlight while turning around so there was no light to see him. The only features see were that he was tall, slim, with short dark hair, and was wearing a large light brown coat, like a fictional detective would.

—Put that thing down, we both know you don’t know how to use it. —The man said.

—Who are you? —She asked still aiming him.

—You can call me Drake. —He answered relaxed. —And I’m here to help you, now put that gun, it’s not like you could hurt me with it, but it would make the ambient less tense. I only want to help you.

—You threw that rock? —Sam asked.

—I did, hope I didn’t break anything because I don’t have any money to pay you for it. —Drake responded. —What is the currency in this day and age?

—What? —Sam didn’t understand the question.

—The currency, what do you use to buy and sell things?

—We use dollars… —Sam said without knowing what to think of him. —Are you from abroad or something? —It was the only explanation that seemed to make sense.

—Abroad, hmm… Yes, something like that. —Drake said a bit weirdly.

—How can you help me? —The girl asked after a pause to think.

—I can tell you the truth of what’s happening here, and I can help you fight that the truth. —He stopped a moment, but when he noticed that Sam wasn’t going to say anything he continued. —The things I’m about to tell you won’t be easy to accept, but I need you to do it. I won’t explain every little detail, and I want no questions asked during the explanation, understood. —He said looking at Sam with black eyes full off determination, trust and even pain, they were eyes that wouldn’t hurt her. She finally lowered the gun and said. —Go ahead.

Drake, closed his eyes, sighed, opened them again and started —In a cavern under the sea there lives one of The Damned, what are The Damned you may be wondering, they are creatures from the deepest pit of hell and beyond, who have ascended to our planet, to the egg that is earth, to destroy it, to crack it and set them all free to devour the universe. That’s right child, inside this planet there are millions of them trapped in anguish, waiting for the day of freedom to come. The ones outside are trying to grow stronger so they can finally accomplish their goal. During history they’ve indirectly influenced many things, from religions and mythologies, to works of fiction like the ones of H.P. Lovecraft. Their names are unpronounceable for mere mortals like us, so I can’t tell you that, but I can tell you what it wants. The one under the sea here in Seacoast need’s one thing to gain its strength, blood. He uses dreams to control and influence people. That’s why Tometi killed himself, why Harvey grew crazy trying to fight back, and I’m sorry to tell you, that’s what happened to you. The dream you had the other day wasn’t your first, but your mind deleted all memories of the previous ones, and the days after them, as a defense mechanism so you wouldn’t turn crazy. —He concluded. The forest was dark and silent as Sam tried to make sense of it all.

—How you know all this? —Sam asked confusedly. It had been a lot to take in all at once. Millions of questions were rushing through her mind, but only one came out of her mouth. —I don’t care how you know, I don’t know or care if this is all bullshit, just tell me what happened to Kathley?

—She was taken by The Damned one who lives under the sea. —He answered unsurely, Sam noted that.

—You are lying, tell me the truth. —She yelled.

—The truth will hurt you. —He shouted back.

—I don’t care, I just need to know. —Sam said in a tone that could kill you.

Drake looked and sobbed and then started talking. —She, your friend, found the damned one, so you, under the damned’s control, killed her and then hid the proof of your deed, like the diary.

At first Sam was quiet and still as a statue, and then she burst down in laughter. Drake was clearly confused while the laughter grew stronger and stronger. —I’m not joking child. —He said, but she wasn’t listening.

Sam leaned to a tree not to fall to the ground. —So, it really was me. —she managed to blurt out while trying to calm down.

It took a whole 5 minutes before she was quite herself again. She didn’t really care if what he had told her was true, because it was closure, it was an explanation of what had happened to Kathley.

—If you are finished with your quite peculiar reaction I want to say I am sorry for your friend, and for you, but I need your help to kill The Damned under the sea, he needs a name. —Drake realized and tried to think of something.

—What about _Onirion Blood Eater —_ Sam suggested.

—That will be do. —Answered Drake.

—So, why do you need my help, can’t you kill it yourself, you look like the badass hero type. —She asked.

—Heh, I’m gonna tell you something more, something I’m not supposed to. What you see before you is a projection, not my real self. The real Drake is in the future, in a timeline where The Damned have cracked earth and the last humans are in a spaceship trying to survive and create a timeline where any of that doesn’t happen.

Sam’s eyes were open like plates as she said. —Either you are really crazy or the real word is much more awesome than I thought. —When he heard this, he looked sad for a second but then suddenly lighted up again and added. —Come here, try to touch me and you’ll see for yourself.

Sam approached him slowly and tried to touch him with the tip of her fingers, but just as he said there was nothing to touch. She put her whole hand inside the hologram and exclaimed. —This is awesome.

—Yes, well this is a little uncomfortable for me so could you back down now. —She did as he said.

—Will you help me or not? —He asked. The serious expression returned to his face.

—I don’t know, it feels dangerous. I only wanted to know the truth about Kathley. —Sam confessed.

—What if I told you you’d have a chance to see her again, one last time to say goodbye. —Drake said.

—What!? Really. —She responded incredulous.

—She should still be in the oneiric realm, the dream world. You’ll have to go there to defeat it, so you could take advantage of the trip.

—I’d love to see her again, but isn’t there anyone more suited for this than me? —Sam asked doubtfully.

—We try to have as little people as possible involved with The Damned. Bring your friends, they’ll be of help for you. —Drake said.

—We?, are there more than one of you? —She asked.

—I’ve already told you too much. Come tomorrow in the afternoon to the lighthouse entrance with your friend. I shall see you there. —He said, and then disappeared leaving only trees and darkness behind.

With all the weirdness of what had happened in the forest Sam’s mind had been all over the place, but now in the way home she realized the implications. — _I’ve murdered my best friend... no, I’ve murdered the woman I loved._ – And then the tears came.

****

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**_—Chapter 11_ **

**_Good Mo(u)rning_**

Samantha did have nightmares this night too, but they clearly weren’t send by Onirion Blood Eater, and that was a relief.

Morning came and a tired Sam woke up. She did all the morning routines, like showering, brushing her teeth, getting dressed, eating breakfast, you know the usual stuff. The school was still closed because of the recent incidents, as her mom reminded her when she was about to leave. She went back to her room and started using the internet, and social media with her phone while trying and failing not to think of yesterday’s revelations, at one point where she could not focus in anything else she opened her diary and started writing down everything that had happened in these couple days. The details were foggy but she did remember everything to a certain extent. When she finished, she actually was quite pleased with how she’d written.

At around 12pm she heard shouting coming from the inferior floor, so she decided to go have a look as she didn’t have anything better to do. When she arrived downstairs, she found her mother arguing loudly with her father, who claimed to have just arrived from work. Lately Sam had only seen her dad very briefly, so she hadn’t notice how much he had changed. He looked weak, some 20 years older than he should be, very dirty, worryingly thin, with his hair falling down and with eye bags and red eyes of not having a good sleep in ages.

He, Samuel was his name, left the living room and was going to go upstairs when he noticed Sam.

—Hi dad. —She said.

—Hi sweetheart, there is nothing to worry about, my new work as the hmmm… watchtower keeper is very exhausting, so I’m going to have a good day of sleep. —He said to her before rushing upstairs.

Her mother was weeping in the living room. Sam went and sat beside her in the couch. —What’s wrong mom? —She asked.

—Samuel, won’t stop lying to me, he comes home very rarely and only for a little while and then leaves for “work” … —She answered sobbing. —He also looks unhealthy, I don’t know if he is drinking or taking drugs, and maybe he is seeing someone else.

—Leave her be Sam, let her calm down. —Said Paul who was also in the room. Sam didn’t listen to him and hugged her mom and told her everything would be ok.

Someone knocked at the door and Paul went to check who it was. He returned and told her it was one of her friends. She got up and walked to the door, opened it and found Joel on the other side.

—Hi. —He saluted her.

—Hi Joel, you want to come in? —She asked.

—No, I’d rather you come outside, I want to speak with you alone. —He answered with a nervous grin that felt out of place in him.

—Alright. —She said and stepped outside the house, closing the door behind her.

—So, how did yesterday’s little mission go? I was of major help right. —He asked as they went to sit down under the tree. Sam noticed that the sky was gray, and she hoped it wouldn’t rain today. Joel lit a cigarette and offered it to Sam, who accepted it, then he lit one for himself. As they were smoking Sam answered. —The “mission” went fine, we were caught but I don’t think we’re in trouble, – She took a puff on the cigarette and continued. —The really interesting stuff came later. —And so, she proceeded to explain Joel everything that had happened in the forest, except one little detail, she didn’t tell him that she’d murdered Kathley, instead he was told that it was Tometi under Onirion’s control.

—Wow, that was quite the story. —He said perplexed when she’d finished. —You’ll surely be a great writer someday. —He added ironically. This hurt Sam, as it clearly meant he didn’t believe her.

—You think I made all that up. —She said angrily.

—Oh, it was real, ok sorry, it just felt hard to believe, but I do now, because I believe you, I trust you. —He answered while getting closer to her. —I love you. —He added and tried to close in for a kiss, but Sam pushed him away and got up.

—What were you doing? —Sam shouted.

—Sorry, I thought that… —He was about to continue when she cut him off.

—Joel, you are a nice guy, and a good friend, but I don’t like you in that way. —She said more calmly.

For a moment Joel, seemed sorry about his actions but then he got up too and shouted. —You’re fucking friend zoning me, that’s what you are fucking doing Samantha, me who’s made you laugh countless times, me who’s supported you for years, me who helped you commit a highly illegal crime. YOU ARE FRIEND ZONING FUCKING _ME_! —As he finished he punched the tree with all he’s strength, while Sam was crying. —I think you owe me fucking something. —He added.

—Zoe, Abner, and Leah also helped me, and supported me, and made me laugh and I don’t see any of them being a fucking asshole about it. I don’t owe you anything, and I sure as hell do not love you. Go away Joel. —She said and started heading home.

—Is this because you still love that fat twat named Kathley, yes Zoe told me, and you know what she’s fucking dead, and you are never seeing her again. That man in the woods is a fucking liar who only wants to fucking rape and kill you! —Joel said very angrily.

Sam finally entered home and rushed to her room. She didn’t even bother going to bed, she just sat in the floor and started crying even more loudly. Crying seemed the only thing she did nowadays, so she tried to calm down, but that clearly didn’t work as soon enough her mom was in the room. Without even asking her what was going on she came and hugged Sam while telling here everything would be okay.

Paul stood in the door looking at her mom and sister hugging wondering what was going on here. He found it funny and started to film the scene with his phone, Sam noticed and showed the middle finger. When their mom got up he stopped and left.

—Do you want to talk about it? —Her mother told her.

—No. —Sam said.

—You can tell me anything Samantha, I’m here to help and support you. —Her mother said and left the room.

When she was gone Sam started looking for another cigarette, but her package was empty, she’d smoked the last one last night. She sighed and drew out her phone and was about to start using social media when a notification popped up. It was a message from Zoe asking if everything had gone well last night. The message was on their friend group’s chat so she immediately kicked Joel out, and then made a long message explaining what had happened yesterday all over again (except the part about her being a murderer) and telling them to come to the lighthouse later. Explaining weird things to her friends had become kind of a thing lately, she wasn’t sure if she liked it but what else could she do? Face it all alone? No, that wasn’t an option.

**_—Chapter 12_ **

**_The Lighthouse and Beyond_**

The clouds outside where darker than ever, not a single sun ray got through them, but it wasn’t raining, at least not yet. _—It’s the calm before the storm. —_ Sam thought while she looked outside from her window. The time to leave for the lighthouse was fast approaching. She checked she had everything she needed, her phone, cigarettes she’d stolen from her mother, a lighter, the flashlight, and most importantly the gun.

Sam decided to leave already, she couldn’t stand being home without doing anything a moment longer. Before leaving she hugged her mother and brother (her father had already left), as she knew it was going to be dangerous. Her mother accepted the hug caringly, but Paul was a little weirded out by it. Afterward she rapidly left the house without answering any of their questions.

The first raindrops were beginning to fall while she made her way to the lighthouse through the deserted streets. Everyone preferred to stay home, which was understandable. _—Maybe I should’ve stayed too. —_ She thought, but decided it was no time for second thoughts.

Nothing remarkable happened during this path, the only sign of life was a black cat she saw running away. _—An omen of bad luck._ —No, that’s just stupid superstition, but with time travelling holograms and The Damned being supposedly real, how could you claim that this wasn’t. A chill went through Sam’s body, and she hoped that everything would be okay.

Meanwhile Zoe arrived at the spot in front of the grocery store where she, Leah, and Abner had decided to meet. Sam was gonna go directly, as it would have been stupid for her to walk all the way to here, the other side of town, and then go towards the lighthouse.

Abner was already there waiting for her, and as she arrived he saluted her with an awkward —Hi Zoe. —Smilingly.

—Hello Abner. —She saluted back. Leah was also approaching in the distance so Zoe told him —Let’s not talk about what happened yesterday, ok, at least not here, not now.

—Technically it was today, but I accept. —Was his response.

—Remind me why I kissed you again. —She snapped ironically.

—Because I’m hoooot. —He answered jokingly. Zoe had to laugh at how ridicule that sounded, _—He isn’t hot, but he is cute._

—Hello, I hope I’m not late. —Leah said when she arrived.

—You are just in time, come on we have to go. —Answered Zoe.

As they where going towards the lighthouse trough the main street, which was strangely deserted as even with a bit of rain there is usually someone, the conversation inevitably shifted to Sam and her tale.

—Do you believe her? —Asked Zoe curious of what they might answer.

—Yes, I trust her, she’s a good friend she wouldn’t lie to us. —Said Leah wholeheartedly trusting Sam’s words.

—I don’t think she is a liar either, but everything does feel a bit off, maybe it was just another dream or something. —Said Zoe.

—I agree with Zoe. —Added Abner.

—Zoe, we made a promise remember, a promise to help her, no matter the circumstances. Well we are about to find out if she told us truth or not and aid her in either case. She wouldn’t have called us to the lighthouse for nothing. —Concluded Leah.

Sam was the first to arrive at the lighthouse, no one was there, not even Drake. She checked if the door could be opened, but it was locked and she obviously didn’t have the key. She didn’t even try to look for cover, she was already as wet as she was gonna get, and instead chose to go to the lookout to gaze upon the sea. What she didn’t expect was all the memories coming back to her, memories of the day she’d spent here with Kathley having fun and getting drunk or was it the other way around. But she was dead now, because of her, no, because of _Onirion Blood Eater_ who stood below the waters of the ocean, and she was about to meet, and hopefully kill it.

—Scared? —Said a voice from behind. Sam turned around scared, to notice it was only Drake. She calmed down.

—Yes, who wouldn’t be. —She answered.

—A fool he said. —He said. —Your friends are still in the path up through the woods, but they should be here soon enough. —Drake added.

—Can you teleport? —She asked incredulous that he could come and go so fast.

—Only in a small area around me. —He said with a grin.

After a while they heard her friends arrive and went to meet them. They said hi and all the other stuff people say when they meet.

—So, he is the time travelling hologram. —Said Zoe pointing at Drake. Sam nodded.

— “Time travelling hologram” feels like an over simplification, but then again a bunch of 16—year olds wouldn’t understand the complexity of it. —He muttered. —I´m Drake by the way! —He added while offering to shake their hands. Abner slowly raised his hand to meet his, but instead of making contact, Abner’s hand just passed trough it. Soon enough both Leah and Zoe tried to touch him resulting in the same outcome. The three of them were really marveled.

—Do you really come from the future? —Leah asked enthusiastically.

—Yes, I do.

—Am I famous, in the future I mean? —She asked sweetly.

—Well I’m from the year 8701, so I don’t really know any of your fates. —He sincerely answered, and even if he might have known Sam had the feeling that he wouldn’t tell them.

—Aren’t yo—you cre—creaating a para—radox ta—talking with u—us? —Was Abner’s question. _—He is right, shouldn’t time travel to the past be impossible and filled with paradoxes—_ Thought Sam. Last night she’d been so concentrated on the revelations that she hadn’t really thought about how they could be possible.

—It’s complicated, technically it should, but don’t worry it won’t. —Drake said.

—Now we know you really are a hologram, or maybe a ghost or something because you aren’t giving us any answers about the future or time travel, how can we trust that you won’t kill us. —Asked Zoe suspiciously.

—If I wanted you dead you’d be dead already. —He said, and then stopped to think a moment. —That’s actually not true at all, I can’t even touch you, it just sounded cool. The point is there is no way for me to probe trustworthy, it’s entirely your choice if you decide to come with me to a dark cavern under the sea. —Drake concluded.

—Well I’m certainly going. —Said Sam upfront. —But as I’ve sa…— She was going to say before Zoe cut her off. —Yeah, we are coming too. Right?

—Yes, of course. —Said Leah immediately. Abner’s answer was also affirmative, but you could see the fear in his face.

Luckily for the five of them the door to the lighthouse was open, so they didn’t have to shoot at the lock to get inside.

They stepped into the interior one by one, Drake being the first and Abner the last. As the door closed behind them they turned on the flashlights, to actually see something on there.

—We have to go down, oh, and be very silent, no one can know we are here. —Said Drake, so they started their way down the narrow spiral stair case.

—Why was all this even built. —Asked Zoe referring to the staircase that led down into the depths of earth.

—It was built to get access to Onion Blood Eater. —Answered Drake murmuring.

—It’s Onirion, not onion. —Corrected Sam.

Eventually they reached the end of the staircase and there was door, which was locked.

—Do I use the gun? —Proposed Sam.

—No, it would be way too loud, I think the key is upstairs. —Said Drake.

—Really, couldn’t you have said that before. —Said Zoe irritated.

—Sorry, as you might have noticed I can just walk through doors, and walls. —He answered.

—I’m gonna get the keys. —Said Sam, already rushing upstairs.

—Wait I’m coming too. —Said Zoe who then followed her up.

It was quite a run running up those stairs, but she finally was at the top, and Zoe arrived soon enough as well. There was another door, but this one wasn’t locked. The girls carefully opened it and went through. They found themselves in a circular room, there was a big lighthouse lamp in the middle, and the controls to switch it on and off and regulate its intensity, there was also a table with some documents and a reading lamp. This was where the lighthouse operator worked. And sure enough, there was someone in there, but he wasn’t inside the room, he was in the gallery surrounding the room, looking at the waves, wearing a red raincoat as to not get soaked by the rain, which at this point had become a huge storm, with lightnings in the distance. They couldn’t see his face, but his presence was pretty terrifying, besides if he worked here he was most likely under Onirion’s control.

—We must get the keys without him seeing us. —Said Sam, and Zoe nodded in agreement.

They started to look around as silently as possible. Sam went to check out the table, but the keys weren’t there. They weren’t in the controls neither, which was the place Zoe was checking. They kept looking around but found nothing, and then suddenly the red coated man decided to return inside. Zoe noticed this and quickly gestured to Sam so they would hide.

The lamp was like a pillar in the middle, so they could use that to conceal themselves if they hid in the opposite side of the room. They were both pressed against it with their hearths pounding faster than ever, when Sam decided to carefully have a look. It turned out that the man had the keys all along as they were needed to enter the gallery, when he came inside he let them hang on a little hook besides the gallery door. Then he seemed to be going to sit in the table, and as the girls noted this they started going quietly to the other side of the room so the lamp would still hide them. There was a time when one of Zoe’s steps made a pretty loud noise because of the floor, but the man didn’t seem to care, he probably thought it was just one of the usual lighthouse sounds.

The girls were on the side of the room where the gallery door stood, and they could easily reach for the keys, which they did successfully, that wasn’t the problem, the problem was getting out of there without being noticed, as the way out stood in the opposite side of the room, in the man’s full view from his position at the table.

Both of them knew they couldn’t do anything right now more than wait for the perfect moment, but as five minutes had passed that moment didn’t seem to come, so Sam decided to send a text to Leah and Abner asking for help. _—Maybe they can’t do anything but surely Drake can._

Leah and Abner were sitting on the stair waiting for Sam and Zoe to come back. They were talking about what they would find behind that door. They suggested some outlandish stuff, well as if The Damned and time travelling holograms weren’t outlandish enough, but some of their ideas managed to be much crazier than the apparent truth. Abner suggested that maybe Onirion has a really ridicule aspect, like a giant pink chicken, with bouncing eyes, and human legs. From where that idea may have come from is a fascinating and terrifying mystery for the ages.

When they ran out of ideas, which was pretty soon, neither of them had Sam’s imagination, they spent a moment in silence which ended with Leah asking a question.

—Is there something going on between you and Zoe? I’ve noticed the way you’ve been looking at each other today.

—Nooooooodgfjshbvhhfvbghffsfesgfds, no no nothithithithing going on! —Abner nervously answered.

—How can a human even pronounce that? —Drake asked, he’d heard because Abner had been way too loud.

—I have no idea. —Said Leah and jiggled. —You can tell me, I won’t laugh or tell anyone else. —She added lowering her voice so Drake couldn’t hear them. Little did she know that Drake had advanced hearing and had been listening to the entire conversation, even if he pretended not to.

—Oh, ok, it’s just she didn’t want to tell anyone, but we kissed last night. —Abner said. It was difficult for Leah to imagine Abner kissing someone, let alone Zoe.

—So, are you like together now? —She asked.

—I don’t know, last night after kissing we just said goodbye awkwardly and left, and we haven’t spoken about it since.

—I hope you get together, you’d make a cute couple. —She said smiling.

Abner was about to say something more when Sam’s message arrived. It read —Help, we have the keys, but there is someone up here and we’re hiding, don’t know if he’s dangerous. —They quickly told Drake, who assured them that he knew what to do, and told them to wait for Sam and Zoe to come down and open the door, then hide behind some rocks in the left until he returned. Then he snapped his fingers and disappeared.

Sam and Leah were hidden, waiting for the red—coat man to move, or for help to arrive. A little glimmer of hope came from Sam’s phone, as it informed them their message had been read.

Maybe all the tension, the feeling of danger was for nothing, maybe the man would just be a little angry with them and tell them to get out, but he also could be in Onirion’s control, and in that case they would surely die horrible deaths. Those were the kinds of places Sam’s mind was going. It definitely didn’t help her to stay calm, quite the contrary. She couldn’t hold it a moment longer, and Zoe looked like she was in the same place, so she was about to do something reckless that clearly would be bad for them (that last part only came to her later though), but luckily there was no need to.

Behind the table there had appeared a ghostly figure, which they knew to be Drake, but the red—coat man didn’t notice him at first, no, he only realized he was there when suddenly a hand emerged from his chest. He screamed and got up so fast that he accidentally knocked down the table.

Sam and Zoe took this chance and ran to the stairs, when going down they heard even more screams more screams from the room. _—Now it’s your time to be afraid._

They arrived downstairs where before having any time to rest Leah and Abner insisted that they’d open the door. Zoe did it as it was her who had the keys.

On the other side of the door was a low cavern that extended forward a long distance, but there also was a little opening on the left which could be easily missed if you weren’t looking for it. Leah and Abner urged them to go trough the opening. It led them into a chamber, not too big but big enough for the four of them. It was here where they finally could sit down a moment and try to rest before continuing down to Damnation.

—What happened up there? —Asked Leah worried, but before anyone could answer Drake appeared before them.

—He’s coming, stay well hidden, when he’s gone continue your way down, I will meet you when it’s time. —He quickly stated before disappearing again.

They heard the noise of someone opening the door. They did as Drake told them and stayed well hidden most of the time, but at one—point Zoe decided to take a look.

—You won’t believe this. —She said shocked after peeking out. —I saw his face, the red coat man is you father Sam.

Sam was more shocked than she should have been, that very morning her father had told her he worked on the watchtower, — _Maybe if he had just used the word lighthouse…_ —, but her mind hadn’t made the connection between him and the red coat man. If he indeed was controlled by Onirion it would explain his erratic behavior.

—That can’t be true! —Leah exclaimed.

—It is. —Sam said. —He told me this morning that he was working here.

—I don’t know what to say. —Leah responded looking worriedly at Sam.

—It’s okay, he clearly is under Onirion’s control, if we defeat it he’ll go back to normal. —Sam said. _—At least I hope he will. —_ She added in her mind.

—We don’t know if he actually is under that things control. —Abner pointed out, and indeed he had a point, he’d done nothing in the lighthouse to indicate that. Sam was already convinced this was the truth so she shrugged off Abner’s comment and told them they should carry on.

They came out of the little chamber onto the rocky tunnel and started their way forward carefully. The cave kept going down and down, and the roof was getting lower to a point where they had to almost crawl. It was also really damp, you could clearly tell that they found themselves under the sea.

Finally, they arrived at a point where the cavern started getting larger, they had more space to move and breath, but it didn’t feel recomforting, it felt despairing and terrifying, the air was thick, strange and disturbing noises could be heard everywhere, and in the walls there where red paintings showing animals, and humans being sacrificed. If Sam had to guess she would swear the paintings were made of blood.

—What the hell is this place?. —Zoe asked.

—It looks like someone was making sacrifices here. Likely to Onirion. —Sam answered.

—It’s really scary. —Said Leah, clearly frightened. —I don’t know if I want to keep going.

—You don’t have to if you don’t want Leah. —Sam said to her.

—No, I’ll keep going. —She answered.

—We have to keep moving on, the sooner we are done with this the better. —Zoe said, and started leading the way.

The way became smaller and harder to navigate, but it wasn’t long enough they arrived at a spacious chamber, there weren’t any paintings here, but the sounds were louder and more frightening, and there was a terrible smell to blood.

Sam’s father stood besides an opening, but carefully not looking into it. He was speaking to someone but they couldn’t hear the words.

—Onirion’s right there trough that opening, be careful not to look into it or you’ll lose your minds. —Said Drake who’d suddenly appeared behind them.

—What is my father doing?

—Communicating with The Dammed.

—Ok, so what do we do to get past him? Can’t you do anything? —Sam asked.

—Sorry, I’m a one trick pony, you actually use this expression in this time period?

—Yes, we use it, so what options di we ha— She was interrupted by the voices suddenly becoming shouts. Even if the words couldn’t be understood it was clear they were discussing.

—He could be in danger, do something. —Sam said to Drake.

—There’s nothing I can do! —He answered. Sam started moving towards his father, not sure about but she was gonna do, but she had to help him.

Out of nowhere Sam’s father shouted a phrase in English.

—I won’t kill MY DAUGHTER! —Was what he said as he stepped into the opening, with the clear intention of somehow facing Onirion.

During a moment he stood there watching through the opening, without moving a muscle. Then he began to scream.

He turned his head away from Onirion and looked to Sam with an expression of true terror. She saw horrified that his eyes where melting and falling down his face burning everything they came in contact with, as the screams only became louder and louder until they stopped and he stood dead in the ground.

—That’s what happens when you look upon a Damned. —Drake said breaking the vail of silence.

Sam who’d been in shock since it happened said to Drake’s face. —No, that’s what happens when the only one of us who could have saved him, does absolutely fucking nothing. Zoe was right, we shouldn’t trust you!

After a pause to consider his words Drake said. —So, I’m the one who is not trustworthy? I’ve only told you the truth, if I could’ve saved him I would, but there was nothing I could do. I’m sorry for your father, but the only one here who is not to be trusted is you, have you told them, what you did to Kathley? Have you Samantha? Of course, you haven’t. Tometi didn’t kill Kathley, it was Sam.

—I was under Onirion’s control! —She answered shouting.

—So was your father and he clearly resisted its control when it came to kill a loved one.

That statement hit Sam very strongly. _—Could I have resisted killing Kathley? —_ Now was time for the tears to come again, so she sat at a corner of the chamber and wept, tears for Kathley, tears for her dad, and tears for being a terrible friend.

The ambient in the chamber was disheartening. They couldn’t believe with what they just saw, it was one of those things that hunts you for life. You could breath in the horror, shock and distrust of the room. Everyone was silent, trying to assimilate what happened for The Damned knows how long. It had clearly and understandably affected Sam most of all. How could a person live with the burden of having killed their best friend, and having their father die before them? This question is tricky and different for every person, but if we are talking about Samantha Lily Wright she’s gonna need help and support. The real incognita is if her friends are gonna provide it at this point. They did make a promise after all.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**_—Chapter 13_ **

**_The test_**

—I’m sorry about your dad. I have no idea how you feel, or what to say, but we wanted you to know, that we don’t blame you for Kathley’s fate and that we are with you till the end of the line. —Leah said softly to her after 5 minutes of crying. She’d been the only one brave enough to face Sam.

—Go, away, all of you. I don’t want you to die because of me! —Sam said, through the sobbing.

—We won’t! —Leah answered much more aggressively than she usually does.

—You say “We” but you are clearly the only one here speaking with me. Look at them, they don’t trust me. I’m the girl who murdered her best friend and watched her own father die, so I wouldn’t neither if I was them. Leah just leave me be. —Sam answered.

—We have to do something about Onirion, Drake told us how to defeat it.

—Then kill it, I don’t care, maybe before that I’ll go over there and look at it myself.

—No, you won’t. —Leah snapped back at her, with fear that her friend might be really considering it.

—Just leave, I’ll come out when I have no more tears to cry.

Leah returned to Zoe and Abner and told them what Sam had just said too her. Zoe suddenly got up, walked over to where Sam was sitting and slapped her in the face with all her strength. It hurt a lot.

—Au! Why did you do that?! —Sam asked exalted.

—Your dad just died and that fucks you up, I get it, but right now we have to get in there and defeat Onirion.

—But why would you even trust me to not hurt you?

—I trust whatever is in there even less. Look, I don’t like that you lied to us, and maybe you could’ve resisted killing Kathley, but it’s still not your fault. You’d never hurt her if it wasn’t because of that damned. —Said Zoe, and then offered Sam a hand to get up. —When this is over we can mourn and be angry to each other, better that than be both dead.

—Well said!. —Exclaimed Abner from behind. Then a bone chilling sound was heard, which reminded them they had to be more silent.

—How can we even hope to win? —Asked Sam still on the ground.

—Together. —Sam smiled and gave her hand to Zoe who pulled her up.

—Ok, now how can we “actually” win?

—Drake explained it to us. We have to fall asleep besides it. Then we’ll enter the oneiric realm, from where we can defeat it, he wasn’t clear on how. It can’t hurt us if we can’t see him. We’ll have to walk to its side without opening our eyes, not even for a fraction of a second. —Zoe explained to her.

—Let’s do it. —Said Sam.

They walked over to where the opening was. Sam suggested that before going in they should take each other’s hands, as to not get lost. Their eyes where closed and their hands tightly pressed together forming a human chain when they made their first steps into Onirion’s chamber.

The floor was covered in some thick liquid, with all they’d seen there was only one possibility: blood. This was apparent from the odors as well. Onirion kept making nightmarish sounds, which at some point scared so much as to have someone fall to the ground. From their rhythm Sam deduced it was the sound of breathing, with also some traces of pain and childlike crying. It was terrifying, but also sorrowful. She wondered how Onirion might look like, there even was a bit of temptation to open her eyes, but she fought it off. Did it have tentacles like Cthulu or was it more similar to some kind of demonic human embryo, like the sound suggested to her. Maybe it was something completely otherworldly which their minds couldn’t fully grasp. She decided to stop thinking about this and focus on the more important matters going on.

Sam noticed that she wasn’t scared at all, yes the sounds were creepy, the smell terrible and the air thick and hard to breath. But those where noting more than annoyances to her, not something that scared her. She felt really calm, much calmer than when she went to the forest past midnight, or when she’d been in her father’s quarters with Zoe, it was weird, they where walking towards a Damned that had murdered his father, and indirectly Kathley. The key word was “they” she wasn’t alone or with only one of them, they where all there except Joel who’d proven himself to be an asshole. Sam pressed her hands even tighter to those of Zoe and Leah and wished to do the same with Abner even if she couldn’t. The only one missing was Kathley, and if Drake hadn’t lied, they were going to see her, maybe in the oneiric realm, maybe in death.

Onirion was right before them as Abner had unfortunately noted when he reached it hand, and it burned with pain to the touch of the Damned. Luckily as soon as he withdraw it the pain went away.

The next step was simple, just lay down and sleep, a natural part of a human’s life which they had to perform every day around the same time of the day. It was considerably harder here. The ground was rough stone covered in blood, which isn’t the most comfortable surface to sleep in. Besides that, there where the sounds which would have made it almost impossible to catch sleep even in the comfiest bed in the world. Nonetheless, they had to try.

They lay restless on the ground fighting to keep their eyes closed and not drowning in blood. It might have been difficult but after many hours of trying they finally accomplished the hardest task of their lives: falling asleep.

Sam woke up in the cavern she remembered all too well from her nightmare. Zoe was already there and sighed with relief when she saw Sam appear. Abner and Leah hadn’t appeared yet, they must still be awake.

—So, this is the oneiric realm? A regular cavern with purple lighting coming from an opening? —Asked Zoe, clearly a bit disappointed.

—Yeah, but don’t worry it gets much weirder. —Answered Sam.

—What should we do?

—Await Abner and Leah, and then if it’s like in my dream we’ll have to dive trough the sea.

As they sat down waiting Sam really hoped that there was no need for the diving again, then again she wasn’t very hopeful. _—I’ll do it for Kathley!_

I wasn’t long until Leah and Abner appeared, and as nothing in the chamber changed one bit, Sam reluctantly explained to them that they must go underwater.

—I don’t know how to swim! —Abner protested.

—You don’t need to swim, you simply need to let yourself be dragged to the bottom and then just kick very fast to wherever you want to go. —Zoe said spitefully, probably to hide her own nervousness. 

The group stared at the water quietly, until finally Sam hurried them that they should go, the sooner the better, and so they did, one by one as if it was like in Sam’s memories they wouldn’t fit together. The first one down was Zoe, and then Sam, after her Abner and last but not least Leah.

Sam’s was struggling underwater, trying to find the way to follow when she felt a strong current sucking her towards a wall, just as she was about to hit and get hurt a tunnel appeared out of nowhere and sucked her in. She tried to grab on to the walls and used all her strength to try to get out, but she couldn’t, she was being taken, alone. If she wasn’t underwater she would have screamed.

The same happened to the rest of the group, each taken a separate way.

Zoe fell to a sofa, at first she was a bit dazzled but as she came to her senses she noticed that she was in her old home, in the body of a little girl. In her body when she was little. Suddenly dread filled her as she remembered which night this was. She got up and started slowly taking steps to where she knew she had to go.

It was midnight, the moonlight was shining trough the windows lighting her way, trough the house. Full well she knew her destination was upstairs but first Zoe went to the kitchen, as she had done all those years ago.

—Mom, dad, where are you?

Of course, they weren’t, here everything was normal, untidy and messy as always. The girl left the room and continued her way.

Now was the time to go upwards, and so she did, there was reluctancy on her mind, but never opposition as she climbed those steps.

When she was in the upper floor, she knew that horror and shock awaited her at the end of the corridor, in her parent’s bedroom. She started walking towards it, wanting to run the other way, knowing she couldn’t.

Here the darkness was absolute, there where no windows from which light could shine. Not here, not now.

Slowly Zoe opened the door to find what she already had found years before, her father and mother sprawled in the floor covered in their own blood.

She stood in shock, and then cried, and then wondered who or what had done it, then back to shock and back to crying.

Finally, Zoe felt she could do something of her own fruition, so she screamed, first incomprehensively and then asking a question.

—Why are you showing me this?! —This question wasn’t aimed at anyone specifically, and Zoe certainly didn’t expect an answer but she got one.

—You are a gross weak little thing human, and so are your friends. —This voice came so out of nowhere and had such an inhuman tone that its chilled Zoe to the bone.

—Your belief that you can hope to defeat me are vile and stupid, as I will break your minds one by one and subdue you to my mercy.

Zoe blinked and appeared in a different location, a void of darkness, like the universe without planets or stars. She simply floated there with no direction in which to move. Powerless.

—Is this meant to frighten me Damned? Because it’s a cheap trick that’s not working.

—Zoe Hashi, you are always so full of sarcasm, so full of words that you yield like swords.

—You are a poet now?

—What are weapons for? Killing and hurting people. Obviously, you already knew that. You might not have a gun or a blade but you have a tongue that can cut as deep as a sword. And you use it without remorse in friend and foe, trying to masquerade your emotions because your parents died when you were small. You see where I’m going don’t you human. Your friends, the ones you think about as family they are full of scars and cuts to the bone. They may for the time being tolerate you, but they don’t like you, they don’t trust you. Samantha didn’t even tell you about Kathley. Tell me Zoe Hashi are those the kind of people you want to stand side by side when facing me? An innocent creature you are convinced is evil because some weird man told you so. — After these words a haunting silence took over the scene.

For Zoe, The Damned had a point. How could she trust those people she called friends and thought of as family when she had only been hurting them. They surely hated her and only had her with them out of pity. That was Zoe’s line of thinking, and the truth it might contain frightened her far more than the Damned did.

Abner was in the floor being kicked by boys older than him. It really hurt.

—Please, just let me go! —He was saying through the pain. The boys just laughed.

—Stop being so stupid! —They said mocking him. Another kick hit Abner in the stomach, followed by more laughs.

—Please. —He begged. —I won’t be stupid anymore, I promise. —The boys looked at each other and then one answered. —He’s lying, like the last time. Give me that water. —His companions gave him a bottle full of water and he sprawled it on Abner.

—What the fuck are you doing? —It was an angry female voice coming from behind them.

—It’s none of your business. —The one who seemed to be the leader of the group answered to the girl, Zoe. She in response punched him in the face.

His nose began to bleed and some of his “friends” started laughing at him, at first softly and then more loudly. He tried to punch back but she withdrew in time to avoid it.

—What is going on here? —Said professor Tometi, who was coming accompanied by Samantha Wright and Leah Tripton. The bullies quickly left and spread out on the courtyard.

—Are you ok? —Zoe asked offering her hand to Abner. Sam, Leah and Tometi where standing around, pitying him and wanting to help him. At least so it seemed from their expressions.

—Yes, thanks. —He said and slowly arose to take the hand and get up.

—I was hoping you weren’t —Answered Zoe whose face was now covered in a dark twisting shadow, and so where the rests. They where far more terrifying than any of the bullies.

—You are useless. We don’t want you either. —Was one of the many phrases Abner heard them mutter. The sound of these grew louder and louder until it was the only thing he could hear.

—I could never love a spiteful gross creature like you. —Were the words that came out of Zoe’s mouth when all the others had fallen silent. Her tone was inhumane, she was clearly disgusted by Abner. Why? Why did everyone hate him. It had to be his fault. It was his fault. _— My fault._

They disappeared and darkness came, and from the darkness a voice.

—They all hate you because you are stupid and useless. You aren’t worth anything to them. Or me. Or anyone, not even yourself. It can be painful to live this way, I know, and that’s why I bring you a solution. Look at your hands. —Confusedly Abner did so and noticed he was unconsciously holding a dagger. —Leave them all behind, hide beneath the sweet mantle of death. Do it because they will never love you and they will never care about you. —The voice finished, and Abner was considering the option he’d been given. Death could be a sweet escape.

Leah found herself in the reception hall of the detention center, the night she and Sam had sneaked in to speak with Harvey. This time though she was alone. All the ways out were closed, the only path she could take was forward. And so, she did.

She was walking trough the hallway, with only a flashlight to light her way. When she was about to go upwards she heard shouts from behind. She turned and saw policemen coming to her shouting things she couldn’t understand. The shouts grew louder and louder. She fell to the ground and covered her ears. There where hundreds of them, and she was being surrounded, and their guns drawn.

In seconds countless guns where aiming at her, and they all shot at unison.

Leah woke up in a cell, soon she recognized it for the cell where Harvey and Louis had once been. Now it was only her. Outside however there where two people, her parents, looking at her in disgust and repulsion. Her father spoke first.

—I expected more of you. —He said coldly.

—I was only helping a friend. —She answered defensively.

—You were found alone. —Her mother responded.

—You’ve broken the rules, weren’t you supposed to be a good girl?

—Yes, I am.

—I don’t believe you Leah. —Her father said, and then walked away. Her mother gave her one last look of disgust before leaving.

Suddenly the light went off. Leah was alone and scared in the dark.

—You’re not alone. —The voice came from every direction at once.

—Who are you? —Leah asked stuttering.

—I am your friend, your real friend. Not like those others who made you break the rules and then abandoned you, no I will always be here for you. Not like those other who made you loose your family, they are monsters, you shouldn’t trust them, they’ll abandon you as soon as they can. The others left you alone and scared in the dark, but I’m here to help and guide you. Follow the light. —As the last words were uttered a pathway opened in front of her, and in the end a light.

—Thank you. —Leah muttered.

Samantha was back at the cavern, not the oneiric cavern, but the real one, the one where her father had died. Her friends where also there, but their faces covered in shadows. As soon as Sam looked at them they looked away, is she tried to get close they would simply step away and if she tried to speak to them they simply screamed so loudly that her words couldn’t be heard. Suddenly after minutes of silence Zoe spoke to her.

—I’m sorry I hurt you. —Those where her words, and as she said them the world around them changed to darkness and only darkness.

—I don’t know what you are talking about, you didn’t hurt me. —Sam answered.

—I did, you don’t have to hide it, as I won’t hide the fact that you used as filthy slaves you don’t care about. You used us so you wouldn’t get hurt or scared. But you didn’t think about us, about what we might feel. —Now Zoe’s face was clearly visible, it had the only light in the dark. But it wasn’t a light of hope, it was alight of hate, sadness and despair.

When Sam tried to answer another voice came in from behind. It was Abner.

—Zoe is right Samantha, you are a selfish woman who only cares about herself, who used us without sparing a second to think about how we might feel. But I ought to thank you as well you showed me the only way out of this suffering, is suicide, truly thanks. —Out of nowhere Abner takes a dagger and cuts his wrists. Blood spills from them but he doesn’t scream, he simply smiles.

—You are a monster Samantha. —Now it was Leah. —You only were friends with me because I am rich. You wanted to take profit of that, and if we ever were in trouble you would have ran away leaving me alone. Take it then take all of it. —Golden coins start to rain over Samantha, they hurt her, and she tries to run ways but she can’t move. She bleeds, almost drowns in there. The rain finally stops, but before Sam can recover a final voice is heard.

—Once you were telling me about a book you wanted to write, I don’t remember its name, why should I, it was really boring and uninteresting. But what I do recall is one phrase that read like this: The worst monsters are those you believe to be your friends, those who you think will be there for you when you need them but instead stab you in the back. Doesn’t it sound familiar Samantha? Doesn’t it sound familiar murderer? —This was said by Kathley, and it was the one statement that hit the hardest.

Sam couldn’t take it any longer, she began to scream as loudly as she could, the world around here started to spin. Her friends where shouting things like —Monster, Murderer… — The coin rain came back, and the others, her friends who now hated here, came at her side and started hurting her by biting and scratching painfully. They were eating her, drinking her blood, enjoying her pain and she could do was stand there frozen and shouting with the world around her spinning endlessly.

The four of them woke up again, together in the beach of the second caver of the oneiric world. Physically they weren’t hurt, even if Sam still felt some traces of pain, it was their spirits that were truly broken.

—Is everyone okay? —Sam asked.

—No, but we will be, now we must escape from here. —Zoe answered.

—Escape? We must defeat Onirion and rescue Kathley. —Sam stated.

—No, Sam. I don’t know what you all have been through, but I won’t remain in a place where I must relieve my fucking traumas just because you want me to.

—I’m not asking you to do it for me! —Was Sam’s response.

—Sam, Zoe come here help me get Abner out of the water. —It was Leah in a worried voice.

Sam and Zoe looked over at her and noticed that Leah was trying to pull Abner out of the water. He seemed like he wanted to drown himself on purpose. They ran over to help.

Together the three of them grabbed Abner and brought him to the sand. He coughed some water out and then said.

—I must go back! —He tried to return to the ocean but the girls stopped him.

Sam knelt at his side and asked.

—What’s going on Abner?

—Don’t speak to me please, just let me be gone already. —He said sobbing.

—Why Abner, what’s wrong? —As Sam said this Zoe resisted saying some snarky comment about their situation.

—You all secretly hate me don’t you, you are only with me because you pity me, but truly you are disgusted and shamed as everyone else.

—We aren’t Abner, you think we’d hang out with you so often if we didn’t care about you.

—She’s right Abner, remember last night. —Zoe said from behind.

Hearing all this Leah had a tear falling from her eye.

—You wouldn’t abandon him? —She asked.

—Why would we?. —Sam responded.

—You wouldn’t abandon me neither? —Leah asked then.

—Of course not. —Sam answered. —I saw something horrible just a moment ago, a vision where you were all attacking me, but I knew it wasn’t truly you, it was a trick created by this monster. I knew this because I trust you, you’ve shown over and over again that I can trust you, always. And now I need that we all trust each other to go forward.

When Sam finished these words, everyone fell silent. In Zoe’s head she heard a voice saying. —She’s trying to use feelings to rule you back to her side. She will bring you to death and suffering. Do not trust her. —Zoe heard this and to herself and Onirion responded. —Shut up.

—Leah, Abner and Sam, I do trust you. —She said with a smile in her face.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**_—Chapter 14_ **

**_Odd, Old, Blood_**

—A bridge should appear over there. —Sam commented.

—Well I can’t see anything. —Zoe answered.

They heard Kathley’s voice coming from above. —Just walk over the water. —This came as a surprise to everyone but Sam.

—I told you she was her. —Sam said smiling.

Carefully they stepped over the water, where the bridge had once stood. Soon enough they found themselves walking over water as if it was solid ground.

—This is great! —Abner said.

—And scary. —Leah added.

—Once you reach the other side a staircase should appear. Use it to go upwards. —It was Kathley helping them again. The staircase appeared and they climbed it up without any great difficulties. Abner almost fell down as there was no railing, but the disaster was avoided thanks to Zoe who rapidly grabbed him.

—You ought to be more careful. —She warned him.

—I know, thanks for saving me. —He answered and grinned. They were looking at each other in the eyes when Sam who was higher asked if everything was ok. They suddenly looked away and Zoe answered.

—Yes, we are coming. —And so, they resumed their walk.

Sam was the first to arrive upstairs and found herself awestruck contemplating her surroundings. She was in the sky, everything around her was celeste blue with white shining clouds. There was no floor and no ceiling, only the most beautiful sight she had ever witnessed.

The rest arrived in due time and were similarly absorbed by the marvels of that place.

—Fly. —Was the only word said by Kathley.

Sam pushed herself forward with her arms and legs. She was flying, and the others followed her example. All the fear, conflict and trauma was gone from their hearts at that moment. They knew they were in a dangerous place, but at the moment they didn’t care, they were full of joy and happiness.

—Go upward and you shall find him. —Kathley told them. —And me. —She added.

And so, they flow up, up and way, passing trough clouds. The light was changing, it was no longer the blue of broad daylight, but the subtle pastel tones of the sunset. Pink, orange and red most of all.

In the midst of that sky they found something disturbing, out of place in there. It looked like a baby, but not fully developed. Besides it was covered in blood, smell and color gave away. It was disturbing and creepy so Sam took one arm and ripped it off, then Leah did the same with a leg, and Zoe with an eye and Abner bite it on the stomach. The blood was spilling everywhere as they continued ripping it apart. It didn’t belong there. While doing this they still felt the same calm, joy and even happiness than before. They were smiling. Finally, all was gone except the blood in the air and their bodies, and a single small human hearth floating in peace and harmony. Sam grabbed it and parted it on four pieces. Everyone ate one piece. The most delicious meal they’d ever eaten.

—That was him, The Damned. —Kathley said.

—Now he is gone. —Responded Sam. She had eaten a baby, or something that looked like one at least. It didn’t bother her at all. She felt only relief.

—Soon I will be gone too. —This phrase by Kathley finally affected Sam, who felt like herself again.

—No, we can save you! —To Sam all the rest where gone she could only focus on Kathley’s voice.

—You can’t, but don’t worry I’ve already accepted it.

—Drake told me I could!

—He lied.

—Can I at least see you before you have to go?

Shining particles started appearing before Sam, from them light, from the light Kathley.

—Here I am. —There she was with her fat little body, blue eyes, small cute nose, even smaller mouth and all the other imperfect details that made her who she was, the woman Sam loved.

—I never knew your hair was blonde.

—Didn’t I tell you?

—No, you didn’t. —Sam said smiling and crying both at once. After a silence in which they simply looked at each other while holding hands Sam had the courage to tell Kathley.

—I never told you when you were alive, I don’t know If I even knew myself… I love you Kathley. I love you with all my hearth.

—I know. —She answered reassuringly and kissed Sam. It was a long kiss, but to Sam it felt only as a brief instant. She wanted for it to last forever, to never leave, to fly holding hands with Kathley. It wasn’t possible.

—Sam, I must go.

—Stay a little longer please.

—I’m sorry, I want to but I can’t.

Tears came once again from Samantha’s eyes as Kathley turned to light and then to particles and then to nothing. She stood there simply watching the sky turn black with the darkness of night.

—Wake up! —Zoe shouted and Sam opened her eyes and found herself back in the real world, in the cave where Onirion had been, but now there was nothing more than a cavern covered by blood. Her friends where also there. As she got up she hugged all of them.

Zoe smiled and said. —This is very sweet Sam, but we have to run the cavern is collapsing! —Sam looked up and saw that water was leaking and pieces of rock were falling. She nodded to Zoe and the group started to run towards safety.

They were returning the way they had come. Sam spared a glimpse to her father's’ body but had to keep on going if she didn’t want to become a corpse herself.

In the way back they found themselves trapped, a rock had fallen and blocked the way out. Pushing it didn’t work, and the little space they had was filling with water. Sam thought they were going to die in there until a familiar voice was heard from behind the rock.

—Are you there?! —The voice was Joel’s.

—We are, but we can’t pass because of this rock, you should be able to push it from there. —And so, Joel did, he pushed the rock and they all got out.

Soon they were climbing the stairs in the lighthouse. They arrived at the door and pushed it open to find themselves in the middle of a starry night with the moon shining above.

The five of them where safely out from the cavern which they could hear collapsing beneath them.

Sam sat down, she hadn’t realized until now how tired she was and just as tired where the rest. All of them except Joel fell asleep there and then over the wet grass at the lighthouse’s feet.

Joel woke them up in the morning when the sun was rising.

—How are you? —He asked of the group.

—Fine. —Zoe answered. Sam was silent, as her mind was going over everything that had happened. It felt like a distant dream, a weird and terrifying one but a dream nonetheless. Details were already slipping past her. The important part was that they had all survived, and defeated Onirion, even if they’d led Kathley behind. Instead of saying anything about these events Sam simply asked.

—Do you want to get some breakfast?

**_The Diary of Samantha Lily Wright, 20 years later_ **

12/22/39

_I’ve found this old diary at my mother’s house. She had it stuffed in an old box in the attic. Reading this diary, I made as a sixteen—year—old has brought up so many memories. It’s not like I had forgotten about Onirion, how could I? And even more eternal in my mind was Kathley but reading this made me go back to all those little moments, good and bad, that had slipped from me during the years. Then I reached the ending and realized there was no ending beyond getting out of the lighthouse with Onirion defeated, so I’ve decided to write an ending to my very first tale, now 20 years later._

_We “buried” (There was no body, but we made a tomb) my father a few days after his death, in the same graveyard where Kathley lay underground. It was the first time I visited her tomb, the first of many as it now has become some sort of tradition leaving a flower there every time I visit the town, usually at Christmas._

_My final year at Seacoast went pretty well all things considered. My grades were good, and a few years later I would be going to the second—best college in the state where I studied journalism. Furthermore, there I met Joanna, who is nowadays my wife, we live together with our adopted daughter Maya in New York City._

_I’ve fulfilled my dream of becoming a writer, some of my novels have even won awards and been on the best—selling list (not in the first place though)_

_So, my life has been going very well. I’m happy and successful to a certain point. I’m still in contact with Zoe, Abner and Leah, sadly not with Joel because this is real life, and in reality you don’t simply stop being an asshole in a single day, doing a single good deed. Joel continued to be a terrible person even after he saved us._

_Zoe didn’t do so well in her studies. Nowadays she has a normal job in a grocery store in a town near Seacoast. We are still in contact but sadly we don’t get to see each other very often. She and Abner also broke up, but they are still friends._

_So, speaking about Abner, he is the only one who’s stayed in Seacoasts, becoming a computing teacher at the high school. I meet with him every time I visit town. Through the years he’s been able to leave his past shyness behind. He still isn’t a very outgoing person but he’s almost unrecognizable from his teenage years. He’s even got a wife named Laura and two children Mike and Erika._

_Leah’s moved to Europe, she works in some important company. I actually see her more than one would think. She often has to travel to America, and New York for work and we always take advantage of that to meet. She’s generally very busy travelling all around the world, but also if she tells me the truth very happy._

_I’m thinking some day we should all meet again, here in Seacoast like in the old times. That’s what we’ve all been up to, and that’s the ending of this my very first tale._

_The End_

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed that, glad you made it all the way to the end. Feedback is appreciated even though I've grown a lot as a writer since finishing this.
> 
> Thx for reading!!! :)


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